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

See Examples For:

account for

The cars typically account for the bulk of Tesla’s sales, especially in major markets like China.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

Arab Israelis, also known as Palestinian citizens of Israel, account for about 20 percent of the country's population.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

For the week of Sept. 18, that portion was up to 9.8%, which doesn’t even account for the latest run-up in mortgage rates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Dr. David Millett, a neurologist who examined Linton, suggested an evolving seizure could account for those details.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

I look at his rumpled sheets and try to make out a human form, but there isn’t enough bulk to account for him.

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini