Thesaurus results for ACCOUNT (FOR)

account (for)

verb

Definition of account (for)

as in to explain

to give the reason for or cause of could not account for the huge difference in price between the two practically identical handbags

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for account (for)

explain

Verb

The woman who had compiled the Handy Hints book helpfully explained these technical details to Flynn, whispering in his ear like someone translating a foreign language.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Instead of explaining why something happened after the fact, the organization helps the customer stay ahead of it.

— Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of explain

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.

Browse Nearby Words

accounted (for)

account (for)

accounting

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Account (for).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/account%20%28for%29. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of account (for)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

watershed

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes