adj
liable
LEYE-uh-buhl
adj
1
Legally or financially responsible for something.
"The landlord could be held liable for the faulty wiring."
"Drivers are liable for any damage caused in an accident."
2
Likely to do or experience something, especially something unwanted.
"This old ladder is liable to collapse under too much weight."
How to Use Liable
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLegally responsible for something, or likely to do or suffer something.
Common mistake
When it means "likely," it's almost always followed by "to" plus a verb: "liable to break," not "liable break."
Common pairings
held liable
liable for damages
liable to happen
Word Forms
more liable comparative, most liable superlative
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The landlord could be held _____ for the faulty wiring.
Etymology
From Old French lier ("to bind"), from Latin ligare ("to bind, tie").