account for (something)

phrasal verb

accounted for (something); accounting for (something); accounts for (something)
1
: to give a reason or explanation for (something)
How do you account for your success?
2
: to be the cause of (something)
These new features account for the computer's higher price.
3
: to make up or form (a part of something)
Women account for only 25 percent of our employees.
4
US : to think about (something) before doing something : to take (something) into consideration
The researchers failed to account for the fact that most of the students were poor.

Examples of account for (something) in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Short interest is up 7.7% in the most recent reporting period, and the 15.51 million shares sold short account for 7.3% of CHWY’s total available float. Schaeffer's Investment Research, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025 With high scores in cost of living and strong local economies, cities in the South account for more than a third of the 150 metro areas. Alain Sherter, CBS News, 10 July 2025 Whites account for 20%, Asian and Pacific Islanders, 11% and Blacks, 9%. David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2025 The brand is looking to drive further international expansion and new partnerships with Harvey Nichols, Liberty, Flannels and John Lewis in the U.K. The medium-term aim, Baldo said, is for wholesale to account for around 15 percent of business. Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for account for (something)

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Account for (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/account%20for%20%28something%29. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!