CEFR B2

account for

phrasal verb

Meaning

Provide a satisfactory explanation or reason for something.

Examples

The suspect could not account for his whereabouts on the night of the crime.
How do you account for the sudden drop in sales this quarter?

Synonyms: explain, justify, clarify, elucidate

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account for (B2)

phrasal verb

Pronunciation: əˈkaʊnt fɔːr

Definition

Provide a satisfactory explanation or reason for something.

Examples

The suspect could not account for his whereabouts on the night of the crime.
How do you account for the sudden drop in sales this quarter?

How to Use account for

account for something (phrasal verb): to explain or form a part of — "He had to account for the missing money."
be accounted for (phrasal verb): to be located or explained (passive voice) — "All items in the inventory are accounted for."

Synonyms of account for

Words with a similar meaning to account for:

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