accord

American  

[uh-kawrd] / əˈkɔrd /

verb (used without object)

• accords,
  present (3rd person singular)
• accorded,
  past participle,  past
• according
  present participle

1. to be in agreement or harmony; agree.

   Synonyms:

   concur, harmonize

   Antonyms:

   conflict

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verb (used with object)

• accords,
  present (3rd person singular)
• accorded,
  past participle,  past
• according
  present participle

1. to make agree or correspond; adapt.

   Synonyms:

   reconcile

2. to grant; bestow.

   to accord due praise.

   Antonyms:

   withdraw, deny, withhold

3. Archaic. to settle; reconcile.

noun

• accords
  plural

1. proper relationship or proportion; harmony.

2. a harmonious union of sounds, colors, etc.

3. consent or concurrence of opinions or wills; agreement.

4. an international agreement; settlement of questions outstanding among nations.

idioms

1. of one's own accord, without being asked or told; voluntarily.

   We did the extra work of our own accord.

accord British  

/ əˈkɔːd /

noun

1. agreement; conformity; accordance (esp in the phrase in accord with )

2. consent or concurrence of opinion

3. unanimously

4. pleasing relationship between sounds, colours, etc; harmony

5. a settlement of differences, as between nations; compromise

6. voluntarily

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verb

1. to be or cause to be in harmony or agreement

2. (tr) to grant; bestow

accord More Idioms  

1. see of one's own accord.

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Usage

What does accord mean? To accord is to agree or be in harmony with someone or something. Accord is usually used formally to mean to work together. It is often used in official decrees, analysis of public figures, and governmental affairs. Related to this, an accord is an agreement. In particular when nations agree to something, we often say they have reached an accord, as with the Paris Climate Accords. To accord can also mean to grant or bestow. Oftentimes an item that is accorded is something that will strengthen a relationship or agreement, as with according someone praise or forgiveness. Example: Failure to reach an accord will mean the battle will continue for years to come.

Synonym Usage

See correspond.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• accorder
  noun
• nonaccord
  noun
• preaccord
  noun
• accordable
  adjective
• unaccordable
  adjective
• unaccorded
  adjective
• well-accorded
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• accords
  plural

Participles

• according
  present
• accorded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• accord
  simple
• accords
  simple
• have accorded
  perfect
• has accorded
  perfect
• am according
  progressive
• are according
  progressive
• is according
  progressive
• have been according
  perfect progressive
• has been according
  perfect progressive

Past

• accorded
  simple
• had accorded
  perfect
• was according
  progressive
• were according
  progressive
• had been according
  perfect progressive

Future

• will accord
  simple
• will have accorded
  perfect
• will be according
  progressive
• will have been according
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of accord

First recorded in 1100–50; Middle English a(c)corden, late Old English acordan, from Old French acorder, from Vulgar Latin accordāre (unrecorded), from Latin ac- ac- + cor (stem cord- ) “heart” ( see cordial); see also heart

Explanation

An accord is an agreement between groups or even nations, like a formal peace accord that prevents war or the accord between you and your sister specifying who gets to use the car on which days. Accord is an agreeable word. If you and your best friend are always in accord, you agree about everything. And if you do something of your own accord, you do it without prompting from someone else. As a verb, accord means to be in harmony or agreement, or to allow. Perhaps your enhanced vocabulary will accord you, or allow you, a better understanding of language.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

accord accords accorded according

In his campaign for the top Fed job, Warsh said he was open to a rewrite of the accord, but he hasn’t given any specifics.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

Under the terms approved Wednesday, the two sides must reach an accord on the cost of those additional services by October 2027.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

London and Paris say the accord helps crack down on people smuggling and limits the number of migrants attempting the often deadly crossing to England's south coast.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

Most of the immigrants who had poured across the border Thursday and early Friday seemingly left of their own accord, hungry and thirsty after finding no help in the enclave.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

But the images broke up of their own accord, weightless chimeras routed by a numbness that ran through him unchallenged.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

These accords involve Arab or Muslim countries normalizing relations with Israel.

From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026

Posting on X, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Saudi Arabia joining the accords "would be an historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East".

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

The result was an unprecedented direct dialogue that eventually paved the way for Israeli accords with Jordan and the Palestine Liberation Organization.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026

"It seems to me highly unlikely in the near term you're going to see any broadening of these accords," he said.

From Barron's ● May 25, 2026

Such a hypothesis accords as well with the animism found in ethnographic societies the world over.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

In the 2000s, derivatives created from subprime mortgages were accorded top credit ratings; now, the so-called illiquidity premium on portfolios of loans to small and midsize private companies is considered their secret sauce.

From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026

Selecting a Thanksgiving day was a royal prerogative, he declared, accorded solely to him as the representative of the Catholic King James II. Andros named Dec. 1 as Thanksgiving Day for all New England.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 25, 2025

Traditionally, all ex-leaders have been accorded state funerals and buried at Embassy Park, which is specifically reserved for them.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2025

Fans — many? most? all? — saw these arrests as special bad treatment accorded to a famous person, but, says Reubens, “30 years later, I still feel the effects all the time.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2025

Now when he should be enjoying the rewards accorded the most prestigious chair in science, he had to be responsible for the outrageous antics of an unsuccessful genius.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Most coastal and valley areas will be 10 to 15 degrees above normal, with temperatures topping 100 in the valleys, according to the National Weather Service.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

More than 150 people are so far known to have died, according to the authorities.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

CrowdStrike also achieved record free cash flow and new net annual recurring revenue, according to CFO Burt Podbere.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

Earlier in August, 32 petrochemical workers in Bandar-e Mahshahr, a city on the Persian Gulf coast, publicly protested their dismissals, according to ILNA.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

Nevertheless, according to the Soviet Constitution of 1936, also called “Stalin’s Constitution,” Soviet women had voting rights and gender equality with men.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

• affirm
• agree
• conform
• correspond