accrue

verb

ac·​crue ə-ˈkrü 

accrued; accruing

intransitive verb

1

: to accumulate or be added periodically

interest accrues on a daily basis.

2

a

: to come about as a natural growth, increase, or advantage

the wisdom that accrues with age

b

: to come as a direct result of some state or action

… a huge competitive advantage would accrue to large firms with ample budgets for lawyers …

—Jennifer Rubin

3

: to come into existence as a legally enforceable claim

… action … does not accrue until the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known that he may have suffered injury …

—National Law Journal

transitive verb

: to accumulate or have due after a period of time

accrue vacation time

accruable

ə-ˈkrü-ə-bəl 

adjective

accruement

ə-ˈkrü-mənt 

noun

Examples of accrue in a Sentence

I'll get back all the money I invested, plus any interest and dividends that have accrued.

investments that have accrued interest and dividends

Recent Examples on the Web

The news arrived on Tuesday alongside the full list of 2026 BAFTA Film Awards nominations, which has Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another just inching ahead of the competition, having accrued a total of 14 nominations. —Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026

Another of my dad’s uncles ended it all by driving into a tree after secretly accruing gambling debt. —Jasper Craven, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026

Plotting the five tightest league tables at this stage (with the 2025-26 as a point of reference), the inaugural 1992-93 campaign was the tightest, with only one side (Nottingham Forest) failing to accrue 20 points and only one side (Norwich City) accruing more than 40 points after 22 games. —Mark Carey, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026

Again, penalty and interest will continue to accrue. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English acrewen, acruwen, probably borrowed from Anglo-French *acreue "increase," noun derivative from feminine of acreu, past participle of acreistre "to increase, grow," going back to Latin accrēscere, from ad- ad- + crēscere "to grow" — more at crescent entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for accrue

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

accrue

verb

ac·​crue ə-ˈkrü 

accrued; accruing

1

: to come about as a natural growth or addition

benefits accrue to society from education

2

: to accumulate over a period of time

accrued interest

accrual

-ˈkrü-əl

noun

Legal Definition

accrue

verb

ac·​crue ə-ˈkrü 

accrued; accruing

intransitive verb

1

: to come into existence as an enforceable claim : vest as a right

action…does not accrue until the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known that he may have suffered injury

—National Law Journal

Note: Statutes of limitations begin to run when a cause of action accrues.

2

: to come by way of increase or addition : arise as a growth or result

—usually used with to or from

advantages accruing to society from the freedom of the press

interest accrues to the seller as a result of the delay

3

: to be periodically accumulated in the process of time whether as an increase or a decrease

the accruing of taxes

allowing the receivable interest to accrue

transitive verb

1

: to accumulate or have due after a period of time

authorized by law to accrue leave in the maximum amount of 90 days

2

: to enter in the books as an accrual

Etymology

Middle French accreue increase, addition to a property, from feminine of accreu, past participle of acreistre to increase