adjective

in charge

in CHARJ

In charge (adjective) means having control of or responsibility for a group, situation or piece of work. Example: “Who is in charge while the manager is away?”

adjective

Having control of or responsibility for a group, situation or piece of work.

"Who is in charge while the manager is away?"

"She has been in charge of the accounts for six years."

How to Use In charge

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBeing the person who is responsible and makes the decisions.

When to use it

Neutral; used equally in workplaces and everyday speech.

Memory tip

Note there is no article: say he is in charge, never he is in the charge, unless you mean he is being supervised.

Easily confused with

in the charge of on charge in control

Common pairings

put someone in charge in charge of the project take charge

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Who is _____ while the manager is away?

Synonyms

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responsible in control running things at the helm

Antonyms

subordinate under supervision

Related Words

responsible boss guilty secondary junior dependent lesser subsidiary

Rhymes for in charge

large barge marge sarge charge enlarge recharge surcharge discharge

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between in charge of and in the charge of?

In charge of means you have the responsibility, as in the nurse in charge of the ward. In the charge of reverses it: it means you are the one being looked after, as in the children were in the charge of a teacher.

Is it in charge of or in charge for?

Always in charge of. In charge for is not standard English.

Can you say in charge without saying of what?

Yes. Who's in charge here? and He's the one in charge are both natural when the context makes the area of responsibility obvious.

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responsible boss guilty secondary junior dependent lesser subsidiary