account for (someone or something)

phrasal verb

accounted for (someone or something); accounting for (someone or something); accounts for (someone or something)

1

: to show what happened to (someone or something) : know where (something or someone) is

We have to account for the time we spend on each activity.

The government couldn't account for millions of dollars of the taxpayers' money.

Is everyone accounted for?

2

: to destroy or kill (someone or something)

Enemy fighters have accounted for most of our bombers, Sir.

3

chiefly British : to defeat or beat (someone or something)

We accounted for the challengers 3–2.

Examples of account for (someone or something) in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In San Diego, the Navy has long worked with local governments to account for future effects from climate change. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025

Fewer home health aides Immigrants account for 64% of all home health aides in Florida, according to the American Immigration Council. —Mercedes Vigon, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2025

The governor’s $322 billion draft budget, released in January, did not account for possible tariffs, though they were anticipated, according to California Department of Finance spokesperson H.D. Palmer. —Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2025

On the other hand, data centers in large economies like the United States, China and the European Union account for only around 2-4% of total electricity consumption today. —Simi Thambi​, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025