Word
accrue
Phoneticsac·crue, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈkɹu/
UK/ɐkɹˈuː/
Definition
v. to increase slowly over time. In business, it means to earn or receive money or benefits that you have not yet collected.
v. to accumulate or increase gradually over a period of time. In a financial context, it refers to the process of earning interest or benefits that have not yet been paid or realized.
Examples
“The interest on the loan will accrue every month.”
“The company allows employees to accrue vacation days based on the number of hours they work each year.”
“As the project progressed, the legal team noted that the costs would continue to accrue until the final settlement was reached, regardless of the initial budget.”
Examples
simple
“The interest on the loan will accrue every month.”
contextual
“The company allows employees to accrue vacation days based on the number of hours they work each year.”
complex
“As the project progressed, the legal team noted that the costs would continue to accrue until the final settlement was reached, regardless of the initial budget.”
Real-World Examples
“A puppet-fabricator by training, Dininger was unprepared for the cult status the character would almost instantly accrue.” “But the bill for what the culture asked of it has been accruing interest in places no one was watching.” Etymology
First attested in mid 15th century. From Middle English acrewen, borrowed from Old French acreüe, past participle of accreistre (“to increase”), from Latin accrēsco (“increase”), from ad (“in addition”) + crēscō (“to grow”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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