in charge

prepositional phrase

Having the responsibility of leading or overseeing.

“He left his daughter in charge of watching her younger sisters.”

Similar
at the helm
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. Having the responsibility of leading or overseeing.

    He left his daughter in charge of watching her younger sisters.

  2. Having the power of command or control.

    This internet browser puts you in charge of your personal settings.

    2 more examples

    You show me the people who control the money, the land, and the weapons, and I'll show you the people in charge.

    1997, George Carlin, “FIRST THINGS FIRST”, in Brain Droppings, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 75

    Ashley: You're Dr. Warren, the one in charge of the excavation. Do you know what happened to the beacon? Dr. Warren: It was moved to the spaceport this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to help pack up the camp.

    2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Eden Prime
  3. datedIn the care, custody or command (of someone).

    The suspect was given in charge and taken to the police station.

    4 more examples

    I have myself seen the wife of a mohout give a baby in charge to an elephant, while she was on some business, and have been highly amused in observing the sagacity and care of the unwieldy nurse.

    1835, Robert Smith, The Friend, page 33

    The average number of children in charge is about 90. One hundred and fifty could be accommodated.

    1873, Pennsylvania. Dept. of Public Instruction, The Pennsylvania School Journal, page 34

    If the commitment be made on the petition of parents, guardian or persons having the child in charge, the judge may, in his discretion, require them to pay the whole or any part of the expense of his maintenance, according to their ability.

    1878, Wisconsin. Legislature. Joint Special Committee on the Revision of the Statutes, Report of the Joint Special Committee on the Revision of the Statutes, page 20

    […] the steamer Fresleven commanded left also in a bad panic, in charge of the engineer, I believe.

    1899, Joseph Conrad, “Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Magazine, volume 165, page 199

    Synonyms: at the helm

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseIn the care, custody or command (of someone).

Similar
at the helm

Translations

Ancient Greek ἐγκρατής
  • ἐγκρατής (enkratḗs)having power
Bulgarian отговорен за, завеждащ
  • отговорен за (otgovoren za)having responsibility
  • завеждащ (zaveždašt)having power
Chinese Mandarin 主管, 負責 /负责
  • 主管 (zhǔguǎn)having responsibility
  • 負責 /负责 (fùzé)having responsibility
Dutch verantwoordelijk
  • verantwoordelijkhaving responsibility
Finnish see vastata, vastuu
  • see vastatahaving responsibility
  • vastuuhaving responsibility
  • see hallitahaving power
French responsable, en charge de
  • responsablehaving responsibility
  • en charge dehaving responsibility
German verantwortlich, zuständig
  • verantwortlichhaving responsibility
  • zuständighaving responsibility
Greek υπεύθυνος, αρμόδιος
  • υπεύθυνος (ypéfthynos)having responsibility
  • αρμόδιος (armódios)having responsibility
Irish i bhfeighil, i mbun
  • i bhfeighilhaving responsibility
  • i mbunhaving responsibility
  • sa diallaithaving power
  • i gceannashaving power
Italian in carica, incaricato
  • in caricahaving responsibility
  • incaricatohaving responsibility
Persian مسئول
  • مسئول (mas'ul)having responsibility
Polish odpowiedzialny, u władzy
  • odpowiedzialnyhaving responsibility
  • u władzyhaving power
Portuguese incumbido, responsável
  • incumbidohaving responsibility
  • responsávelhaving responsibility
  • encarregadohaving responsibility
  • no comandohaving power
Russian отве́тственный за, отвеча́ющий за
  • отве́тственный за (otvétstvennyj)having responsibility
  • отвеча́ющий за (otvečájuščij)having responsibility
  • заве́дующий (zavédujuščij)having power
  • управля́ющий (upravljájuščij)having power
Scottish Gaelic an urra ri
  • an urra rihaving responsibility
Spanish encargado, responsable
  • encargadohaving responsibility
  • responsablehaving responsibility
  • a cargohaving responsibility
Cite this entry
APA

in charge. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20charge

MLA

“in charge.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20charge. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in charge,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20charge.

Source: in charge on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.