: 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
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
Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
The net accrual of $615 million represented nearly 23% of DHS’s total federal fund expenditure that year.
—J.b. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 22 Feb. 2026
J.b. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 22 Feb. 2026
The chance for ice accumulation has also shifted slight north and intensified for portions of Southern and Eastern Kentucky, where residents south and east of Bowling Green and Richmond could see up to three-quarters of an inch of accrual during the storm.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Jan. 2026
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Noun
That means protecting benefits already earned while negotiating responsible adjustments for future accruals, exploring constitutional pathways for reform and offering voluntary buyout incentives to reduce long-term liabilities.
—Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
The net accrual of $615 million represented nearly 23% of DHS’s total federal fund expenditure that year.
—J.b. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The concerns extend beyond accrual accounting.
—J.b. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 22 Feb. 2026
The chance for ice accumulation has also shifted slight north and intensified for portions of Southern and Eastern Kentucky, where residents south and east of Bowling Green and Richmond could see up to three-quarters of an inch of accrual during the storm.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for accrual
Cite this Entry
“Accrual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accrual. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal 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
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