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
Most revisit claims also don’t account for cloud coverage, which can make an optical image unusable.
—
Elizabeth Duffy, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Retirees should account for about $577 in monthly food expenses and $1,239 in transportation costs.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2025
Canadian aluminum exports account for 41% of all aluminum the US imported last year, while Canadian iron and steel accounted for nearly a quarter of it.
—David Goldman, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
People of color account for about 44% of the U.S. population.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for account for (someone or something)
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Elizabeth Duffy, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Retirees should account for about $577 in monthly food expenses and $1,239 in transportation costs.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2025
Canadian aluminum exports account for 41% of all aluminum the US imported last year, while Canadian iron and steel accounted for nearly a quarter of it.
—David Goldman, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
People of color account for about 44% of the U.S. population.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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 15 Mar. 2025.
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