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

The program accepted nearly 300,000 returns in its final year, according to internal IRS data reported by the Associated Press, and received strong satisfaction ratings from users. —Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

On Tuesday morning, the average price of a gallon in the United States was over $4, according to GasBuddy. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026

Since the start of the year, almost 200,000 Floridians dropped their ACA Marketplace plans — one of the sharpest declines in the country — according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. —Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026

This has led to the biggest oil supply disruption in history, according to the International Energy Agency. —Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for according to

• hullabaloo
• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup

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