account for

British  

verb

1. to give reasons for (an event, act, etc)

2. to make or provide a reckoning of (expenditure, payments, etc)

3. to be responsible for destroying, killing, or putting (people, aircraft, etc) out of action

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account for Idioms  

1. Be the determining factor in; cause. For example, The heat wave accounts for all this food spoilage , or Icy roads account for the increase in accidents .

2. Explain or justify, as in Jane was upset because her son couldn't account for the three hours between his last class and his arrival at home . Both of these related usages are derived from the literal meaning of the phrase, that is, “make a reckoning of an account.” [Second half of 1700s]

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Example Sentences

This kind of disturbance could account for the extreme energy levels Voyager 2 measured.

From Science Daily

To do this, they combined detailed information about how each virus spreads with computer models that accounted for air travel, everyday commuting, and the possibility of superspreading events.

From Science Daily

Hershey, meanwhile, says acquisitions will account for about a third of its projected 2026 4%-5% sales growth.

From MarketWatch

The sharp drop reflected concern over IREN’s mining operations, which account for the bulk of its revenue.

From Barron's

In this study, the researchers focused on the most common form of the disease, which accounts for about 80% to 85% of all colorectal cancers.

From Science Daily