accrete

verb

ac·​crete ə-ˈkrēt How to pronounce accrete (audio)
accreted; accreting

intransitive verb

: to grow or become attached by accretion

transitive verb

: to cause to adhere or become attached
also : accumulate

Examples of accrete in a Sentence

silt accreting at the mouth of the river over time
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.
In such regions, dust sticks together in planet-forming disks around young stars, forming pebbles that gradually accrete into larger bodies and, eventually, planets. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2025 Eventually the star stops accreting matter, leaving the disk in orbit around it. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025 In many cases, similar accreting black holes are telltale signs of active galactic nuclei, but astronomers needed to examine the evidence more carefully. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025 As an aside, Simon’s father, Bob, was a CBS foreign correspondent and 60 Minutes regular who accreted 27 Emmys, four Peabody awards and a DuPont over 47 years. David Bloom, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for accrete

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from accretion

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of accrete was in 1712

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Accrete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accrete. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Legal Definition

accrete

verb
ac·​crete ə-ˈkrēt How to pronounce accrete (audio)
accreted; accreting

intransitive verb

: to grow or become attached by accretion

transitive verb

: to cause to adhere or become attached
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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