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

Officers spoke with Cisneros for about four minutes, repeatedly ordering her to drop the knives, according to Tisch. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

Renewable energy credits serve as proof that a company uses electricity from clean energy sources like solar farms, according to the Retail Energy Supply Association. — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026

An unusual divide in the options market is creating an opportunity for investors to generate higher income from individual stocks, according to Janus Henderson. — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026

The Village Board voted to limit information collected from the cameras to be shared within Illinois only and retain data for only seven days, according to its agreement with the sheriff’s office. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 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