according
Americanadjective
adjective
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(foll by to) in proportion; in relation
salary will be according to age and experience
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(foll by to) on the report (of); as stated (by)
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(foll by to) in conformity (with); in accordance (with)
everything went according to plan
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(foll by as) depending (on whether)
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not_standard dependent on
it's all according where you want to go
Etymology
Origin of according
Explanation
If someone says, "according to the weather man, it's going to rain," that means that the weather man is the source of the information. Like the word accord, according comes from the Old French acorder meaning "reconcile, agree, be in harmony." According and the word to seem to be in harmony, the one always followed by the other. The term according to can be used to attribute something reported — according to the news, the airports are closed (even though according to your friend, they're still open). It also refers to agreement with a plan. If you study according to your advisor's suggestions, you'll do well.
Vocabulary lists containing according
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade 11)
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SHSAT: Language of the Test
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Electric cycles in California are also divided into three classes, depending on features and speeds, according to the California Department of Justice.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
The number of fly-tipping incidents dealt with by local councils in England increased by 9% to 1.26m in 2024/25, according to government statistics.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Investors are raising cash to buy shares in SpaceX and it’s hurting other stocks — for now, according to Fundstrat.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
Liquidations have slowed down, according to data from CoinGlass, with $58.9 million in positions liquidated in the past 24 hours, compared to the hundreds of millions seen liquidated daily last week.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
This was a table folks saw—yes, a table walking through the tombstones, night after night, according to some.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
