accrue

American  

[uh-kroo] / əˈkru /

verb (used without object)

accrues, present (3rd person singular) accrued, past participle, past accruing present participle

1. to happen or result as a natural growth, addition, etc.

   Synonyms:

   gather, collect, accumulate

   Antonyms:

   scatter, dissipate, disperse, dispel

2. to be added as a matter of periodic gain or advantage, such as an employment benefit or interest on money.

   Paid time off is accrued weekly, at a rate of one hour per week.

   Synonyms:

   increase, grow

   Antonyms:

   lessen, diminish, decrease, dwindle

3. Law. to become a present and enforceable right or demand.

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accrue British  

/ əˈkruː /

verb

1. to increase by growth or addition, esp (of capital) to increase by periodic addition of interest

2. (often foll by to) to fall naturally (to); come into the possession (of); result (for)

3. law (of a right or demand) to become capable of being enforced

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Usage

What does accrue mean? Accrue means to grow and accumulate naturally or to be added periodically. It’s especially used in the context of finance to refer to the growth of interest in an account. The past tense of accrue (accrued) can also be used as an adjective describing something that has been accumulated, as in accrued interest. The noun form of accrue is accrual. In law, accrue means to become a legal right. Example: A retirement fund allows money to accrue over the course of your career so that you can support yourself once you stop working.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonaccruing
  adjective
• accruement
  noun
• accruable
  adjective
• superaccrue
  verb (used without object)

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have accrued
  perfect
• has accrued
  perfect 3rd person singular
• am accruing
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been accruing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• have been accruing
  perfect progressive
• are accruing
  progressive
• is accruing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• accruing
  participle
• accrues
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had accrued
  perfect
• had been accruing
  perfect progressive
• was accruing
  progressive singular
• accrued
  participle
• were accruing
  progressive plural
• accrued
  simple

Future

• will accrue
  simple
• will have accrued
  perfect
• will be accruing
  progressive
• will have been accruing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of accrue

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English acruen, acrewen, probably from Anglo-French accru(e), Middle French accreu(e), past participle of ac(c)resitre “to increase,” from Latin accrēscere “to grow”; see ac-, crew ¹, accretion

Explanation

To accrue is to accumulate or to keep growing in value or size. If you can accrue enough extra credit to build up your grade, you won't have to take the final exam. Early forms of the word accrue were used as early as the 15th century with the meaning "to increase" or "to grow." Many modern uses for accrue involve money or finances, as when you accrue, or earn, interest on a bank account. You can accrue debt too, as interest grows on top of money owed until you pay it back. It's possible to accrue benefits over the time you work somewhere, or you can accrue demerits while you're misbehaving somewhere.

Example Sentences

Accrue is properly used more in the sense of spontaneous growth.

From The Verbalist A Manual Devoted to Brief Discussions of the Right and the Wrong Use of Words and to Some Other Matters of Interest to Those Who Would Speak and Write with Propriety. by Osmun, Thomas Embly

The damage that will Accrue thereon will amount att Least to 100 Ps.

From Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Illustrative Documents by Jameson, J. Franklin (John Franklin)

Related Words

• accumulate
• amass