accord

American  

[uh-kawrd] / əˈkɔrd /

verb (used without object)

1. to be in agreement or harmony; agree.

   Synonyms:

   concur, harmonize

   Antonyms:

   conflict

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verb (used with object)

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

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.

Related Words

See correspond.

Other Word Forms

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

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

Rinkevics said a "long-term" air defence accord would be prepared.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

Looking at photos in court, his father, Paul Willis, said he thought some straps holding the cab on his son's vehicle had come off "of their own accord".

From BBC • May 13, 2026

By then Warsh will have voted on interest rates at least twice, sat through one Treasury refunding announcement, and presided over the rough draft of his proposed Fed-Treasury accord.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

And before she retired in 2023, Sherman was involved in policy discussions about making overtures to Iran aimed at restarting the nuclear accord.

From Slate • May 1, 2026

Down into pink-tiled bathrooms and among translucent, unformed babies with unseeing black spots for eyes, and dark braids that moved of their own accord, working their way along the sandy bottom of sleep like inchworms.

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez

Related Words

• affirm
• agree
• conform
• correspond