account

1 of 2

noun

ac·​count ə-ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce account (audio)
1
a
: a record of debit (see debit entry 2 sense 1a) and credit (see credit entry 1 sense 2d) entries to cover transactions involving a particular item or a particular person or concern
b
: a statement of transactions during a fiscal period and the resulting balance
c
archaic : reckoning, computation
2
a
: a statement explaining one's conduct
She was asked to give an account of her actions.
b
: a statement or exposition of reasons, causes, or motives
no satisfactory account of these phenomena
c
: a reason for an action : basis
On that account I must refuse.
3
a(1)
: a formal business arrangement providing for regular dealings or services (such as banking, advertising, or store credit) and involving the establishment and maintenance of an account
a checking account
also : client, customer
They are one of our most important accounts.
(2)
: money deposited in a bank account and subject to withdrawal by the depositor
b
: an arrangement in which a person uses the Internet or email services of a particular company
4
a
: value, importance
It's of no account to me.
b
: esteem
stood high in their account
5
: advantage
turned her wit to good account
6
a
: careful thought : consideration
factoring all of these issues into account
see also take account of
b
: a usually mental record : track
Keep account of all you do.
7
: a description of facts, conditions, or events : report, narrative
the newspaper account of the fire
By all accounts they're well-off.
also : performance
a straightforward account of the sonata

account

2 of 2

verb

accounted; accounting; accounts

intransitive verb

1
: to furnish a justifying analysis or explanation
used with for
couldn't account for the loss
2
a
: to be the sole or primary factor
used with for
The left fielder accounted for all three putouts.
b
: to bring about the capture, death, or destruction of something
used with for
Enemy fighters accounted for two of the bombers.

transitive verb

1
: to think of as : consider
accounts himself lucky
2
: to probe into : analyze
Phrases
give a good account of oneself
: to perform well especially in a competition or confrontation : to acquit oneself well
Though he has an aristocratic bearing, he could probably give a good account of himself in a street fight.Ishmael Reed
on account
: with the price charged to one's account
purchasing on account
on account of
: for the sake of : because of
The game was cancelled on account of rain.
on no account
: under no circumstances
On no account should the children be left alone at home.
on one's own account
1
: on one's own behalf
I'm doing it on my own account, not for anyone else.
2
: at one's own risk
3
: by oneself : on one's own

Examples of account in a Sentence

Noun the difference between the debit and credit sides of an account We always keep very good accounts. We opened new accounts at a bank last week. I took out my money and closed my account. You can withdraw up to $1,000 a day from your account. Every week, she puts a part of her paycheck into a separate account. setting up a bank account Verb account themselves lucky to be alive
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Apple’s reason for axing Epic’s account was that Epic had previously violated Apple’s policy by launching an alternative to Apple’s payment system for in-app payments (which is why Apple banned Fortnite from the App Store in 2020). David Meyer, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 The palace released the image on the Prince and Princess of Wales official Instagram account Sunday, March 10 – when Mother's Day is celebrated in the United Kingdom. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 11 Mar. 2024 That’s not even taking into account the first postpartum year. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2024 This typically won’t affect your scores because the account is simply being transferred rather than being closed and reopened. Liz Weston, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024 McGovern disagrees and disputes the detective’s account of the actions that lead to the arrests. Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 Helen Rummel When 19-year-old Britney Vera opens up her student account, she’s faced with the full bill for her next semester at Arizona State University. The Arizona Republic, 10 Mar. 2024 This has required them to get their own accounts, or be added to existing accounts for extra money. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Looking at the number of impressions being generated by 10 problematic accounts Musk reinstated, CCDH estimated ads on them would generate about $19 million in annual revenue for the company. Joseph Menn, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
Many economists argue the official statistics in the consumer price index are delayed and aren’t yet accounting for real-time measures that show rents either stabilizing or falling nationwide. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Nielsen’s seven-day linear ratings have the show at 8.68 million viewers, with streaming on Paramount+ and CBS apps accounting for the remaining 1.52 million. Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 The Amazon Rainforest spans 6.7 million square kilometers, accounting for more than half the planet’s remaining rainforest. Quentin Septer, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 Their energy and cagey ability to reinvent their focus helps to account for their visibility in the musical landscape. Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024 Continue Princess Kate Middleton is apologizing Monday after admitting that an image of her and her children shared yesterday on official palace social media accounts to celebrate Mother's Day in the United Kingdom was edited. Greg Norman, Fox News, 11 Mar. 2024 Posted on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ official Instagram account on Sunday, the U.K.’s Mother’s Day, the photo shows Middleton smiling with her three children in a photo allegedly snapped by Prince William. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2024 Wine sold for less than A$10 a liter - most of it made from grapes grown in areas like Griffith - accounted for two-thirds of the value of Australian wine exports worth A$1.9 billion in the year to December 2023, Wine Australia says. Reuters, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 While the Bay Area accounted for 23% of all the jobs that were added statewide, the hiring upswing in the nine-county region came despite — not because of — the area’s vaunted tech sector. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'account.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English acounte, accompt, borrowed from Anglo-French acunte, acounte, noun derivative of acunter "to account entry 2"

Verb

Middle English accounten, acounten, accompten "to count, compute, evaluate, give an account of," borrowed from Anglo-French acunter, acompter, from a-, prefix forming transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + cunter, compter "to count entry 1"

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of account was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near account

Cite this Entry

“Account.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/account. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

account

1 of 2 noun
ac·​count ə-ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce account (audio)
1
: a record of money paid out and money received
2
: a statement listing purchases and credits : bill
3
a
: value entry 1 sense 3
a man of little account
b
: regard entry 1 sense 2a
held in high account
4
: profit entry 1 sense 1, advantage
labored to no account
5
a
: a statement of reasons, causes, or motives
gave an account of her actions
b
: a statement of facts
accounts of the game
c
: a reason for an action
on that account I must refuse
6
a
: a sum of money deposited in a bank
b
: an arrangement in which a person uses the Internet or e-mail services of a particular company

account

2 of 2 verb
1
: to think of as
accounts herself lucky
2
: to give an explanation
have to account for the money I spent
3
: to be the cause
illness accounts for so many absences
Etymology

Noun

Middle English acount, accompt "the act or result of counting," from early French acunte (same meaning), from acunter (verb) "to add, count," from a- "to" and cunter "to count," from Latin computare "to count, compute" — related to compute, count entry 1

Legal Definition

account

1 of 2 noun
ac·​count
1
a
: a record of debit and credit entries to cover transactions involving a particular item (as cash or notes receivable) or a particular person or concern
b
: a statement of transactions during a fiscal period showing the resulting balance
sometimes used in the pl.
trustees filed annual accounts as required by statuteW. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.
2
: a periodically rendered reckoning (as one listing charged purchases and credits)
3
: a sum of money or its equivalent deposited in the common cash of a bank and subject to withdrawal at the option of the depositor
4
: a right under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code to payment for goods or services which is not contained in an instrument or chattel paper and that may or may not have been earned by performance

account

2 of 2 intransitive verb
: to give a financial account
a duty to account

More from Merriam-Webster on account

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