liable meaning
liable :
responsible, likely
adjective
▪ He is liable for the damage.
▪ He is responsible for the damage.
▪ She is liable to make mistakes.
▪ She is likely to make mistakes.
paraphrasing
▪ accountable – responsible
▪ prone – likely
▪ apt – likely
▪ subject – likely
Pronunciation
liable [ˈlaɪəbl]
The stress is on 'li', and it sounds like 'ly-uh-bl'.
Common phrases and grammar about liable
liable - Common meaning
adjective
responsible, likely
Part of Speech Changes for "liable"
▪ liability (noun) – responsibility or likelihood
▪ liable (adverb) – likely or responsible in a manner
Common Expressions with "liable"
▪ liable for damages – responsible for damages
▪ liable to happen – likely to happen
▪ liable to pay – responsible to pay
▪ liable under law – responsible under law
Important examples of liable in TOEIC
Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test
In TOEIC vocabulary questions, liable often refers to responsibility or likelihood.
Example of a confusing word: reliable (dependable)
Grammar examples from the TOEIC test
As an adjective, liable is often used in grammar questions to show responsibility or likelihood.
liable
Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC
liable to
'likely to', used when talking about possible actions or events.
liable for
'responsible for', used in legal or formal contexts.
Differences between similar words and liable
liable
,
accountable
differences
Liable is used for legal or formal responsibility, while accountable is used for personal or moral responsibility.
liable
,
prone
differences
Liable is often used for legal matters, while prone is used for tendencies or habits.
Words with the same origin as liable
The origin of liable
Liable comes from the Latin 'ligare', meaning 'to bind', indicating a sense of being bound by law or duty.
Word structure
It has the root 'lig' (to bind) and suffix 'able' (capable of), meaning 'capable of being bound'.
Words with the same origin
The root of liable is lig (to bind). Words with the same root include ligament (a binding tissue), oblige (to bind by promise).
