according to

preposition

1
: in conformity with
2
: as stated or attested by
3
: depending on

Examples of according to in a Sentence

According to rumors I've heard, he was fired for stealing from the company. She always did everything according to the rules. I cooked the rice according to the directions on the box. He was paid according to how quickly he worked.
Recent Examples on the Web Interestingly, Beatport matters more than Spotify, according to Desna. Lisa Kocay, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024 That triumph, according to those who experienced it, also required a groundswell of focus and belief leading up to the defining moment. Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 26 Oct. 2024 Israel’s military has since killed more than 42,000 Palestinians in Gaza on its southern flank, according to the Health Ministry there. Ramin Mostaghim, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024 Officers were responding to a serious injury crash in the area of south 19th Avenue and west Lower Buckeye Road around 1:20 p.m. and found a car with multiple children and a woman with different injuries, according to police. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for according to 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'according to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English acordyng to, from acordyng "agreeing" (from present participle of accorden "to accord entry 1") + to to entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of according to was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near according to

Cite this Entry

“According to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/according%20to. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

according to

preposition
1
: in agreement with
did everything according to the rules
2
: as stated by
according to the experts
3
: depending on
dress according to the weather

More from Merriam-Webster on according to

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