accrue

verb

ac·​crue ə-ˈkrü 

accrued; accruing

intransitive verb

1

: to come into existence as a legally enforceable claim

2

a

: to come about as a natural growth, increase, or advantage

the wisdom that accrues with age

b

: to come as a direct result of some state or action

rewards due to the feminine will accrue to me

—Germaine Greer

3

: to accumulate or be added periodically

interest accrues on a daily basis

transitive verb

: to accumulate or have due after a period of time

accrue vacation time

accruable

ə-ˈkrü-ə-bəl 

adjective

accruement

ə-ˈkrü-mənt 

noun

Examples of accrue in a Sentence

I'll get back all the money I invested, plus any interest and dividends that have accrued.

investments that have accrued interest and dividends

Recent Examples on the Web

No benefits were paid until January 2022, allowing the fund backing the benefits to accrue. —Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 20 Dec. 2024

Lifestyle The 10 richest families in the world The wealthiest families on Earth got even richer in 2024 By Start Slideshow Start Slideshow There were more billionaires in 2024 than at any point in history, as the wealthiest people alive continue to accrue wealth in record numbers. —Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 18 Dec. 2024

So, clearly, credit card balances are people accruing credit card debt to meet day to day expenses and potentially emergency expenses. —Next Avenue, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

About two-thirds of Gen Z and millennials expected to take on debt during the 2023 holiday season, with one-third of Gen Zers not able to afford traveling home for the holidays because of accruing expenses like student loan payments, according to a CreditKarma survey. —Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English acrewen, acruwen, probably borrowed from Anglo-French *acreue "increase," noun derivative from feminine of acreu, past participle of acreistre "to increase, grow," going back to Latin accrēscere, from ad- ad- + crēscere "to grow" — more at crescent entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

accrue

verb

ac·​crue ə-ˈkrü 

accrued; accruing

1

: to come about as a natural growth or addition

benefits accrue to society from education

2

: to accumulate over a period of time

accrued interest

accrual

-ˈkrü-əl

noun

Legal Definition

accrue

verb

ac·​crue ə-ˈkrü 

accrued; accruing

intransitive verb

1

: to come into existence as an enforceable claim : vest as a right

action…does not accrue until the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known that he may have suffered injury

—National Law Journal

Note: Statutes of limitations begin to run when a cause of action accrues.

2

: to come by way of increase or addition : arise as a growth or result

—usually used with to or from

advantages accruing to society from the freedom of the press

interest accrues to the seller as a result of the delay

3

: to be periodically accumulated in the process of time whether as an increase or a decrease

the accruing of taxes

allowing the receivable interest to accrue

transitive verb

1

: to accumulate or have due after a period of time

authorized by law to accrue leave in the maximum amount of 90 days

2

: to enter in the books as an accrual

Etymology

Middle French accreue increase, addition to a property, from feminine of accreu, past participle of acreistre to increase