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

It is possible that other factors account for this new study’s findings.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

The couple, who each earn around £60,000, have their own bank accounts alongside a joint account for bills, but are flexible with the amount each contributes when their circumstances change.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

Used to treat serious conditions such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes, biologic drugs account for a growing portion of U.S. drug spending.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Extracting such a weak signal required the researchers to carefully account for many different sources of interference that could distort the measurements.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026

There’s an uncertainty to her voice that I don’t expect and can’t account for.

From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon