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

Crypto transactions account for a large chunk of the three companies’ revenue, so their shares tend to move in tandem with Bitcoin.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

But that turned out to account for only about 10% of the missing water.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

One of the few winners could be Russia, where oil and gas account for around a quarter of government revenue.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Most Americans who end pregnancies rely on the medications mifepristone and misoprostol, which account for more than half of all abortions nationwide.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

She pulled out Dill’s computer, went to YouTube, and set up an account for him.

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner