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

The company’s earnings report notes that additional $94 million in accruals related to the Astroworld litigation, expected to represent remaining settlements, was recognized in Q2 for a total of $280 million this year. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 30 July 2024

High Interest Savings Account with 5.5% interest (monthly accrual). —Refinery29 Australia Team, refinery29.com, 1 July 2024

Adjective

These power structures center largely on capital and profit accrual, which have a history of organizing themselves along racial lines. —Philip V. McHarris, TIME, 30 July 2024

In addition to offering the lowest monthly payment for most borrowers, the plan also shields borrowers from unpaid interest accrual, one of the largest additional fees that borrowers face on their loans. —Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 1 July 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