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
-
Mel explained that Chris was impressed by the move, and the two went for a run and had dinner together the next day.—
Ariana Quihuiz,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026 -
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly's sister publication, PEOPLE, makeup artist Nick Barose explained his inspiration for creating Madigan's glam for the evening.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Account (for).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/account%20%28for%29. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share