account for (someone or something)
phrasal verb
accounted for (someone or something); accounting for (someone or something); accounts for (someone or something)
1
: to show what happened to (someone or something) : know where (something or someone) is
We have to account for the time we spend on each activity.
The government couldn't account for millions of dollars of the taxpayers' money.
Is everyone accounted for?
2
: to destroy or kill (someone or something)
Enemy fighters have accounted for most of our bombers, Sir.
3
chiefly British
: to defeat or beat (someone or something)
We accounted for the challengers 3–2.
Examples of account for (someone or something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The two states account for more than 95,000 abortions annually, data show.
—
Annie Gowen, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
The study authors noted that the number of people having strokes has risen as the population ages and grows, but this doesn’t account for everything.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
An analyst note from Wells Fargo estimates sales of the company’s gold bars currently account for between $100 million and $200 million per month.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2024
Gower said the international market, excluding China, will account for most of the gains, with box office projections set to come in $550 million ahead of their original forecast of $16.2 billion.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Apr. 2024
Investigators cannot account for the next 40 minutes.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2024
At the same time, Haitians account for those contributing to the $10 billion in remittances the Dominican Republic received last year, according to its central bank.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
Carbon capture needs to account for 8 percent of cumulative emissions reductions if the world is to achieve net zero by 2050, according to the International Energy Agency, an intergovernmental organization.
—Stanley Reed, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
In an April 1 letter, Ashley Hoffman, senior policy advocate for the chamber, wrote that the bill was vague and failed to consider the state’s longstanding laws regarding hours worked and exempt employees, and did not account for the uniqueness of different industries and professions.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Annie Gowen, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
The study authors noted that the number of people having strokes has risen as the population ages and grows, but this doesn’t account for everything.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
An analyst note from Wells Fargo estimates sales of the company’s gold bars currently account for between $100 million and $200 million per month.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2024
Gower said the international market, excluding China, will account for most of the gains, with box office projections set to come in $550 million ahead of their original forecast of $16.2 billion.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Apr. 2024
Investigators cannot account for the next 40 minutes.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2024
At the same time, Haitians account for those contributing to the $10 billion in remittances the Dominican Republic received last year, according to its central bank.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
Carbon capture needs to account for 8 percent of cumulative emissions reductions if the world is to achieve net zero by 2050, according to the International Energy Agency, an intergovernmental organization.
—Stanley Reed, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
In an April 1 letter, Ashley Hoffman, senior policy advocate for the chamber, wrote that the bill was vague and failed to consider the state’s longstanding laws regarding hours worked and exempt employees, and did not account for the uniqueness of different industries and professions.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'account for (someone or something).' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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account for (someone or something)
Cite this Entry
“Account for (someone or something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/account%20for%20%28someone%20or%20something%29. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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