# account for sth

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/account-for-sth
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to explain the reason for something or to be the cause of a specific amount.

For teachers: to provide a satisfactory explanation for an event or situation; to constitute a particular proportion or amount of a whole.

## Examples

- The bad weather accounts for the flight delays.
- Electronic goods account for over half of the company's total exports this year.
- The defense attorney struggled to account for the defendant's whereabouts during the critical hours when the crime was committed.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The rain accounts the accident." but "The rain accounts for the accident." — the verb 'account' requires the particle 'for' to connect to its object.

## Usage notes

- always followed by the preposition 'for' and a noun or noun phrase.
- Teaching tip: distinguish between the 'explain' sense and the 'percentage' sense; the latter is very common in academic writing and business reports.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.