Hold someone accountable means make them answer for their decisions and results: the board will hold the manager accountable for the missing funds. It's often passive: politicians must be held accountable. Accountable to means you report to someone: accountable to the board. It's a word from news and reports.
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hold someone accountable for something; be held accountable; accountable to someone
- The board will hold the manager accountable for the missing funds.
- Suppliers are held accountable for meeting the agreed safety standards.
- The director is accountable to the board for the department's spending.
What changed
First versionThe council must be hold accountable for its decisions.
RevisionThe council must be held accountable for its decisions.
After must you normally use the base form, so hold seems right. But here be stands between them, which makes it passive, and hold becomes held: must be held accountable.
Blame means say someone is at fault once something has gone wrong. Hold accountable means make someone responsible, and that can happen in advance: each team leader is held accountable for their budget. Responsible for means it's your job; accountable adds that you'll have to explain yourself to someone.
Your turn
The supplier should be ___ accountable for the defective parts.
Show the answer
held — After should be in the passive you need held. Hold works without be: We should hold the supplier accountable.
Write who should answer for a problem in your building, city or workplace. Use be held accountable for.
The contractor should be held accountable for leaving the site safe at the end of each day.
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