student asking question

What does it mean by "unaccountable" here?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"Unaccountable" is an adjective with the opposite meaning of "accountable." Similar to "unanswerable," it's used to describe people or groups that do not need to justify or face the consequences of their actions. When the speaker says "largely unaccountable private sector," she means that corporations are often not required to explain or take responsibility for their actions, even if they are unethical or harmful to others. Ex: Around the world, corporations are unaccountable contributors to climate change. Ex: Because the mistakes were made by high-level managers, their subordinates were deemed unaccountable. Another definition for "unaccountable" is "unable to be explained or accounted for." Ex: The museum has a priceless vase that is unaccounted for. Ex: The story of the child's disappearance is strange and unaccountable.

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