liable
word
Definition
If someone is liable, they are legally responsible for something, especially damage or loss. It can also mean likely to do or experience something, often something unpleasant.
Usage & Nuances
Most common in formal or legal English: 'be liable for damages', 'hold someone liable'. In everyday English, the 'likely to' meaning appears in patterns like 'liable to forget' or 'prices are liable to change'. Don't confuse it with 'reliable', which means dependable.
Example Sentences
The company is liable for the damage.
basic
Young children are liable to catch colds in winter.
basic
If you break it, you may be liable for the cost.
basic
He's liable to say yes if you ask nicely.
natural
Prices are liable to go up again next month.
natural
The court held the landlord liable for the repairs.
natural