accrual

1 of 2

noun

ac·​cru·​al ə-ˈkrü-əl 

1

: the action or process of accruing something

money gained by the accrual of interest

2

: something that accrues or has accrued

an employee's vacation accruals

accrual

2 of 2

adjective

: relating to or being a method of accounting that recognizes income when earned and expenses when incurred regardless of when cash is received or disbursed (see disburse sense 1a) compare cash entry 2

Synonyms

Noun

• accretion
• addendum
• addition
• augmentation
• boost
• expansion
• gain
• increase
• increment
• more
• plus
• proliferation
• raise
• rise
• step-up
• supplement
• uptick

Examples of accrual in a Sentence

Noun

had an accrual of $100 through interest on my savings account last year

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

While avoiding vacation accruals and payouts is certainly one factor, there are several other reasons why companies implement such policies. —Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 24 Sep. 2024

There are more than 200 unanswered texts in her phone, an unusual accrual for someone who is typically more prompt. —Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2024

Adjective

This will pause interest accrual, but the period won’t count toward student loan forgiveness. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. —Adam S. Minsky, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024

One uniquely beneficial feature of the program is an interest subsidy designed to prevent balances from ballooning due to interest accrual. —Adam S. Minsky, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

accrue + -al entry 2

Adjective

derivative of accrual entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1912, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

accrual

noun

ac·​cru·​al ə-ˈkrü-əl 

1

: the action or process of accruing

claim must be brought within two years of the date of accrual

2

a

: something that accrues

especially : an amount of money that periodically accumulates for a specific purpose (as payment of taxes or interest)

b

: something that has accrued during a specified period