call to account
Hold someone answerable
To call someone to account is to demand an explanation or justification for their actions, especially when wrongdoing is suspected: The committee called the CEO to account for the missing funds.
The phrase implies holding someone responsible and requiring them to answer for their conduct.
It carries a formal, often official tone—supervisors call subordinates to account, institutions call leaders to account.
- take to taskCriticize for wrongdoing
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- read the riot actSeverely warn of consequences
- arraignFormally charge in court
- bring to justiceMake offenders face courts
answerability · audit · culpability · face the music · scrutiny · under the microscope · retribution · day of reckoning · examination · inquiry · impeach · reprimand · liability · reckon with · punishment · review · evaluate · interrogate
call to accountlet slide
Choose not to address
let off the hook · excuse · absolve · pardon · forgive
call to accountlook the other way
Willfully ignore misconduct
let slide · turn a blind eye · ignore · disregard · overlook
call, calls, called, calling, caller, callers, callback, account, accounts