accordance vs concordance

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   A comparison of two nouns: one means obeying a rule, the other means agreement or a word index.

   Grammar: Used as a heading when learners ask how these two words differ; in real sentences you use one word or the other, not the pair.

   Patterns

   • accordance with something
   • in accordance with something
   • a concordance between A and B
   • a concordance to a text

   The chart 'accordance vs concordance' shows how often students mix up the two words.

   In our grammar class we compared accordance and concordance, and most of us had never used either one.

   Her essay title was 'Accordance vs Concordance: Two Words That Sound Alike'.

2. 2phrasefixed phraseformal

   The state of agreeing with a rule, wish, or standard, usually in the fixed phrase 'in accordance with'.

   Grammar: Almost always appears as 'in accordance with' before a noun; it is not used with 'to' in this sense.

   Patterns

   • in accordance with something
   • act in accordance with something
   • in accordance with the law

   All payments were made in accordance with the contract.

   In accordance with your wishes, we sold the house and moved the money to a trust.

   The factory now operates in accordance with the new safety rules.

3. 3nouncountable or uncountabletechnical

   A state in which things agree with each other, or a list showing every place a word appears in a text.

   Grammar: Countable when it means a published word list ('a concordance to Shakespeare'); uncountable when it means general agreement ('there is little concordance between the two reports').

   Patterns

   • a concordance between A and B
   • a concordance to a writer's works
   • show a concordance with something

   There is a surprising concordance between the two witnesses' accounts of the evening.

   Scholars built a concordance to the poet's letters so they could trace each word.

   The medical study found little concordance between the two doctors' diagnoses.

Common combinations

in accordance with the rules

The referee acted in accordance with the rules of the game.

a concordance between two things

The study found a close concordance between the parents' and teachers' ratings.

a concordance to a text

She checked the word in a concordance to the novel.

fully in accordance with

The design is fully in accordance with local building codes.

in strict accordance with

Samples were stored in strict accordance with laboratory guidelines.

Synonyms and how they differ

agreement

The everyday word for things matching or people sharing a view; use it instead of 'accordance' when no rule is involved.

compliance

Focuses on obeying a rule or order, so it fits where 'accordance' appears in 'in accordance with' but sounds more like a duty.

consistency

About things not contradicting each other over time; closer to 'concordance' when you mean general agreement.

index

A plain list of names or topics at the back of a book; a 'concordance' is similar but lists every occurrence of each word.

Opposites

Word family

accord verb

To give or grant something, or to match another thing.

accord noun

A formal agreement between groups or countries.

concord noun

Peaceful agreement between people or groups; a shorter relative of 'concordance'.

concordant adjective

Describing things that agree or match each other.

accordingly adverb

In a way that suits what has just been said or decided.

Commonly confused: accordance vs concordance or accord? accordance vs concordance or concord?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “accordance vs concordance”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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