Own
What it means
To acknowledge and accept responsibility for an action, decision, or result.
Reach for it when praising honest accountability followed by corrective action
A dependable leader will own the mistake and explain the remedy.
Words to choose between 6
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional |
|
| formal |
-
everyday
admit
Fits when someone states that an error is true
Careful Admit can sound reluctant and promise no repair.
-
warm
Fits when responsibility is taken without evasion
Careful Accept needs context to distinguish accountability from agreement.
-
warm
stand behind
Fits when someone publicly supports a decision
Careful Standing behind is wrong when the decision needs correction.
-
professional
Fits when the fact is openly recognized
Careful Acknowledgment may stop short of responsibility.
-
professional
take responsibility
Fits when explicit wording matters in serious contexts
Careful The phrase is empty unless action follows.
-
formal
answer for
Fits when accountability includes explaining consequences
Careful Answer for can sound punitive.
Opposites 3
- deny
- deflect
- disown
Common phrases 3
-
own a mistake
She chose to own a mistake before it affected another team.
-
own the decision
The committee must own the decision and publish its reasoning.
-
fully own
He can fully own the result without taking blame for outside facts.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated