Meaning & use
account for
To give a satisfactory explanation or reason for something, or to make up a certain part or amount.
See it in a sentence
The manager could not account for the missing funds in the budget.
Rent and utilities account for nearly half of their monthly income.
A note on using this word
'Account for' has two common uses: explaining a cause, and describing a proportion or share of a total.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
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