account for
Britishverb
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to give reasons for (an event, act, etc)
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to make or provide a reckoning of (expenditure, payments, etc)
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to be responsible for destroying, killing, or putting (people, aircraft, etc) out of action
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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 .
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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]
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.
“This officer betrayed the public, betrayed the inmates, and betrayed the badge. My office will hold corrupt correctional officers to account for their behavior.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Moody’s raises its inflation forecast to around 2.9% from 2.5% to account for the energy price shock.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Current estimates suggest dark matter could account for more than 85 percent of the matter in the universe.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
Data centers account for 28% of its electricity sales in Virginia, at least five times as high a percentage as the average utility.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
No one knew how to account for an existence like Buffo’s.
From "Milkweed" by Jerry Spinelli
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.
