responsabilizar

Senses

1. 1.

   to hold responsible, to blame

   to attribute responsibility or fault to someone for something

2. 2.

   to make accountable

   to establish someone's responsibility or accountability for something

Examples

• "O governo responsabilizou o diretor pela má gestão dos recursos públicos."

  The government held the director responsible for the mismanagement of public funds.

• "Não podemos responsabilizar apenas uma pessoa pelo fracasso do projeto."

  We cannot blame just one person for the project's failure.

• "Ele se responsabilizou pelo erro e pediu desculpas publicamente."

  He took responsibility for the mistake and apologized publicly.

Usage

Formal/neutral register. Commonly used with the preposition "por" (responsabilizar alguém por algo). The reflexive form "responsabilizar-se" means "to take responsibility" or "to hold oneself accountable." Often appears in legal, political, and professional contexts.