idiom
The Buck Stops Here
thuh buk stops heer
/ðə bʌk stɒps hɪər/Listen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
thebuckstopshere
Dictionary meaning
An expression of ultimate personal responsibility, indicating that one accepts full accountability for a decision or outcome and will not pass responsibility on to anyone else; famously associated with US President Harry Truman, who kept a sign with this phrase on his Oval Office desk.
Examples
- As CEO, she told the board plainly: the buck stops here — any failure is my responsibility.
- When the project went over budget, the director did not blame the team; he said the buck stops here.
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