- present participle of accord.
according
Americanadjective
adjective
-
(foll by to) in proportion; in relation
salary will be according to age and experience
-
(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
-
(foll by as) depending (on whether)
-
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.
The 61-year-old is still in hospital, according to local media, while the investigation into what caused the incident continues.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Tokyo is the world’s cheapest major city, according to one investment bank’s annual rankings.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
Alan Turing's famous ideas about artificial intelligence may have sent AI research down the wrong path for the past 75 years, according to prominent computer scientist Peter J. Denning.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026
The comedy power couple are calling it quits after 18 years of marriage, according to TMZ.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
So said Agatha Swanburne, according to a great many hand-stitched pillows at Penelope’s alma mater.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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.
