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

Still, Ord Minnett cuts its FY26 and FY27 EPS forecasts by 6% and 11%, respectively, to account for higher depreciation and amortization along with interest charges associated with its lease liabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

The Birmingham postcodes which account for the five hot spots are B25, B18, B66, B21 and B35.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Vertigo and dizziness account for about one in 30 emergency-room visits, according to research at Northwestern University.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

We keep our finances separate but work very well together out of a joint account for the purpose of our current home and the project house we plan to buy.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

A set of keys went missing for an hour early last week and then turned up again in the wrong place, and nobody can account for the time they were gone.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein