Definitions
01entry or admission
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the right or ability to enter a place or see someone.
n. the right, opportunity, or means of approaching or entering a place or person.
日本語:アクセス※
“Only staff members have access to the laboratory after 6:00 PM.”
“The new security protocol ensures that only authorised personnel are granted access to the restricted archives.”
Usage
usually followed by the preposition 'to'
Pitfall
The students have access in the library.
The students have access to the library.
The noun 'access' is followed by the preposition 'to', not 'in' or 'at'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02using information or services
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun Academic
n. the ability to use a service or look at information.
n. the right or opportunity to use a resource or view specific information.
日本語:アクセス※
“Many people in the village still do not have access to clean water.”
“The government is working to improve public access to high-quality healthcare in rural regions.”
Usage
uncountable in this sense
Synonyms
03computing
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun Computing
n. a connection to the internet or a way to open computer files.
n. the process of connecting to a computer system, the internet, or specific digital data.
日本語:アクセス※
“I lost my internet access when the storm knocked down the power lines.”
“The database administrator restricted access to the sensitive customer files to prevent a potential data breach.”
Synonyms
04family law
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. the legal right of a parent to visit their child.
n. the legal right of a non-custodial parent to spend time with their child.
“The father was granted weekend access to his children after the court hearing.”
“The court's primary concern when determining access rights is the long-term welfare and stability of the child.”
Usage
often used in the phrase 'custody and access'
Teaching tip
This is a technical legal term; in everyday conversation, people usually say 'visitation' or 'seeing the kids'.
Synonyms
05to reach or open
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to open a computer file or reach a place.
v. to gain entry to a location or to retrieve data from a computer system.
“You can access your bank account online using this mobile app.”
“The rescue team struggled to access the remote valley due to the heavy snowfall and blocked roads.”
Usage
transitive verb; do not use 'to' after the verb
Pitfall
You can access to the files here.
You can access the files here.
Unlike the noun, the verb 'access' is transitive and does not take the preposition 'to'.
Teaching tip
Remind students that 'have access to' (noun) needs 'to', but 'access' (verb) does not.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “access” in context.
Verb
01. access data
“Hackers tried to access data stored on the company's private server.”
verb + noun
02. access information
“The internet makes it easy to access information on almost any topic.”
verb + noun
03. directly access
“Students can directly access their grades through the online portal.”
adv + verb
04. ensure access
“The new laws help ensure access to healthcare for all citizens.”
verb + noun
05. facilitate access
“The new ramps were built to facilitate access for wheelchair users.”
verb + noun
06. improve access
“The city plans to improve access to public transport in rural areas.”
verb + noun
07. limit access
“Parents often use software to limit access to certain websites.”
verb + noun
Adjective
08. direct access
“The hotel room offers direct access to the swimming pool.”
adj + noun
09. improved access
“Improved access to technology has changed how we study.”
adj + noun
10. increased access
“Increased access to education leads to better job opportunities.”
adj + noun
11. limited access
“Visitors have limited access to the library during the holidays.”
adj + noun
Noun
12. access to
“Do you have access to the staff room after five o'clock?”
noun + prep
Real-World Examples
“Google said it was voluntarily giving the US government early access to the model and will gather feedback from testers before making it widely available.” “A federal judge ordered US President Donald Trump on Thursday to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, saying his ban on the three media outlets was likely unconstitutional.” “Reporters from three media outlets have been barred from entering the White House, hours after a federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump's ban on their access should be temporarily lifted.” “Politico, CNN and MS NOW journalists have been denied access to the White House after US President Donald Trump announced he was banning the outlets.” Etymology
From Middle English accesse, acces, borrowed from Middle French acces (“attack, onslaught”) or from its source Latin accessus, perfect passive participle of accēdō (“approach; accede”), from ad (“to, toward, at”) + cēdō (“move, yield”). Doublet of accessus. First attested in the early 14th century. The sense "entrance" was first attested about 1380.
First attested in 1962.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/access
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0