Responsible vs The boy looks guilty

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Responsible

Top 1,000 (very common)B1adjective

The boy looks guilty

Top 1,000 (very common)
 ResponsibleThe boy looks guilty
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈspɒnsəbl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈspɑːnsəbl/"]/🇬🇧 //ðə bɔɪ lʊks ˈɡɪlti//🇺🇸 //ðə bɔɪ lʊks ˈɡɪlti//
MeaningTo be someone who can be trusted to do what is right or take care of something.The boy seems like he has done something wrong.
ExampleShe is very responsible when it comes to her job.After breaking the vase, the boy looks guilty.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR levelB1-
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsbe, become, remain, completely, entirely, fully, for, be, feel, seem, completely, entirely, fully, for, be, feel, seem, completely, entirely, fully, for, be, seem, become, extremely, fairly, very, with, be, become, remain, completely, entirely, fully, for, be, directly, ultimately, tolooks guilty, guilty expression, guilty plea
Antonymsirresponsible, careless, negligentinnocent, blameless
Common mistakesConfusing 'responsible' with 'responsive', Using 'responsible' without 'for' when describing duties, Incorrectly spelling 'responsible' as 'responsable'Confused with 'looks' vs 'looked', Using 'the boy look' instead of 'the boy looks', Mixing up 'guilty' with 'guilt'
Usage notesUsed to describe someone dependable or accountable. Appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, though overly formal in casual conversations.Use in general observational contexts. Avoid in formal writing or discussions where you need absolute certainty.

See it in real clips

Responsible
The boy looks guilty

Frequently asked questions: Responsible vs The boy looks guilty

What's the difference between Responsible and The boy looks guilty?

Responsible: To be someone who can be trusted to do what is right or take care of something. The boy looks guilty: The boy seems like he has done something wrong.

Can you show an example of each?

Responsible: She is very responsible when it comes to her job. The boy looks guilty: After breaking the vase, the boy looks guilty.

Can I use Responsible and The boy looks guilty interchangeably?

Not always. Responsible and The boy looks guilty are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.