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.
Northwestern Mutual also announced a historic $9.2 billion payout in 2026, according to a company news release, continuing a 155-year streak of distributing dividends to its policyholders.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
Chicago has the nation’s highest combined state-local tax of $7.16 a pack, according to Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
The April 12 to April 18 period, historically speaking, has been the best time to sell a home, according to Realtor.com.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
While Venmo processed some $330 billion of volume in 2025 across around 100 million active accounts, X has between 500 million and 600 million global monthly active users, according to Dolev.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
Nuclear war, according to them, according to the press, was imminent.
From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen
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.
