liable

adjective

li·​a·​ble ˈlī-ə-bəl How to pronounce liable (audio)
especially in sense 2 often
ˈlī-bəl How to pronounce liable (audio)
1
a
: obligated according to law or equity (see equity sense 3) : responsible
Both owners are liable for the debts incurred by the business.
b
: subject to appropriation or attachment
All his property is liable to pay his debts.
2
a
: being in a position to incur
used with to
liable to a fine
b
: exposed or subject to some usually adverse contingency or action
Watch out or you're liable to fall.
Liable vs. Apt: Usage Guide

Both liable and apt when followed by an infinitive are used nearly interchangeably with likely. Although conflicting advice has been given over the years, most current commentators accept apt when so used. They generally recommend limiting liable to situations having an undesirable outcome, and our evidence shows that in edited writing it is more often so used than not.

Choose the Right Synonym for liable

liable, open, exposed, subject, prone, susceptible, sensitive mean being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse.

liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation.

liable to get lost

open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence.

a claim open to question

exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening.

exposed to infection

subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone.

all reports are subject to review

prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something.

prone to delay

susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable.

very susceptible to flattery

sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli.

unduly sensitive to criticism

synonyms see in addition responsible

Examples of liable in a Sentence

If someone gets hurt on your property, you could be liable. because of his frail constitution, he's liable to diseases
Recent Examples on the Web In November, a federal jury in Missouri found the NAR and two brokerages liable for $1.8 billion in damages for conspiring to keep agent commissions artificially high. Anna Bahney, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 The Department of Justice asked a U.S. district judge in South Carolina to dismiss the lawsuits last month, arguing that the government can’t be held liable for PFAS contamination. Zoya Teirstein / Grist, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 But a judge disagreed, ruling in February that the city was, in fact, liable for Vicknair’s actions. Carolyn Van Houten, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 The intrepid flee to Dublin; those who stay are liable to dredge up an income selling meth. Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 Winners: Gun industry Gary’s lawsuit against major firearms manufacturers is the last hold-out from the 1990s, when dozens of cities filed similar lawsuits in an effort to hold the gun industry liable for crimes committed with their products. Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Mar. 2024 The South Carolina lawmaker also argued that the decision against Trump was made in a civil case, not a criminal one, though Trump was still found liable by a jury. Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 In that case, which went all the way to the Supreme Court, judges ruled the VCR manufacturers were not liable for contributory copyright infringement since the VCR had other legitimate uses besides violating copyright. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 In 1995, however, the company was found liable by a Nevada jury for over $14 million in damages after a woman suffered health problems caused by leaky implants. Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'liable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lyable, from Anglo-French *liable, from lier to bind, from Latin ligare — more at ligature

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of liable was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near liable

Cite this Entry

“Liable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liable. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

liable

adjective
li·​a·​ble ˈlī-ə-bəl How to pronounce liable (audio)
 especially in senses 2 & 3 often  ˈlī-bəl
1
: forced by law or by what is right to make good
we are liable for damage that we do
2
: not sheltered or protected (as from danger or accident)
liable to diseases
3
: exposed to or likely to experience something that usually is undesirable
you're liable to slip there
it's liable to rain before we're done

Legal Definition

liable

adjective
li·​a·​ble ˈlī-ə-bəl How to pronounce liable (audio)
1
: answerable according to law : bound or obligated according to law or equity
one is liable as an accomplice to the crime of anotherW. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
the estate is liable for succession taxesCommissioner of Revenue Services v. Estate of Culpepper, 493 A.2d 297 (1985)
2
a
: being in a position to incur
used with to
liable to a fine
property liable to duties
b
: subject or amenable according to law
Etymology

ultimately from Old French lier to bind, from Latin ligare

More from Merriam-Webster on liable

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