account for (someone or something)

phrasal verb

accounted for (someone or something); accounting for (someone or something); accounts for (someone or something)

: to show what happened to (someone or something) : know where (something or someone) is

We have to account for the time we spend on each activity.

The government couldn't account for millions of dollars of the taxpayers' money.

Is everyone accounted for?

: to destroy or kill (someone or something)

Enemy fighters have accounted for most of our bombers, Sir.

chiefly British : to defeat or beat (someone or something)

We accounted for the challengers 3–2.

Examples of account for (someone or something) in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Today, in-group productions account for 50% of Mediawan Rights’ distribution activity – though Vleeschhouwer is hardly averse to finding synergistic opportunities with the third-party producers that make up the other half. —

Ben Croll, Variety, 16 May 2024 Now, banks account for less than half of the lending there. —

Fortune Editors, Fortune, 16 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for account for (someone or something)

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Dictionary Entries Near account for (someone or something)

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“Account for (someone or something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/account%20for%20%28someone%20or%20something%29. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

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