Meaning & use
access
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Meanings
noununcountable
The right or opportunity to enter a place, use something, or obtain information.
Grammar: Usually singular and followed by to: access to the building, not access of.
Patterns
- access to something
- have access to something
- gain access to something
Students have access to the library until midnight.
She was given access to the interview recordings.
nouncountable or uncountable
A way or means of approaching, entering, or reaching a place or system.
Grammar: As a physical route it can be countable in technical writing, but everyday use is often uncountable.
Patterns
- easy access to somewhere
- improve access
- direct access
The hotel provides easy access to the beach.
Engineers improved access to the upper floors during the renovation.
noununcountablecomputing
The ability to connect to, retrieve, or use digital data, a network, or an online service.
Grammar: Common with internet, data, and system; also takes to: access to Wi-Fi.
Patterns
- internet access
- access to data
- remote access
Rural areas still lack reliable internet access.
The technician checked access to the shared drive.
verbtransitivecomputing
To obtain, retrieve, open, or make use of something, especially electronic data or a system.
Grammar: Takes an object: access the files. It is more formal than get into or open.
Patterns
- access the files
- access a system
- access information online
Please access your account before Friday.
The program accesses the database through a secure connection.
Word forms
| third person singular | accesses |
|---|---|
| past tense | accessed |
| past participle | accessed |
| -ing form | accessing |
Common combinations
- access to
- All staff need access to the scheduling calendar.
- have access to
- Do residents have access to clean drinking water?
- gain access to
- Firefighters gained access through the side door.
- internet access
- The cafe offers free internet access to customers.
- easy access
- The bus stop gives easy access to the city center.
Synonyms and how they differ
- entry
- Entry means the act or right of going in; access is broader and can include use of information or systems.
- admission
- Admission is formal entry to a place, school, or event; access can be physical, digital, or abstract.
- availability
- Availability means that something can be obtained; access emphasizes the means or right to obtain it.
- reach
- As a noun in this area, reach is less common and usually means the range within which something can be obtained or contacted.
Opposites
Word family
- accessible adjective
- Easy to reach, enter, use, or understand.
- accessibility noun
- The quality of being accessible, especially for people with disabilities.
- accessibly adverb
- In an accessible way; less common than the adjective.
Commonly confused: access or excess? access or axis?
access vs excess
Access means entry or use; excess means more than needed. They look and sound similar but have different meanings.
access vs axis
Axis means an imaginary line or a central relationship; access means a way in or right to use something.
Practice
Which sentence uses access correctly?
Choose one answer.
Access as a noun pairs with to: access to something. The other prepositions do not fit the standard pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “access”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.