account for

To form a particular part or amount of a total.

• Women account for half the team.
• Online orders accounted for most sales last year.
• How much of the budget does transport account for?

How to use it: account for an amount of something (Rent accounts for half of my monthly spending.)

Similar words: make up, constitute, represent

Common phrases: account for half, account for most sales, account for ten percent

To explain what happened, why you did something, or where someone or something is.

• Can you account for the delay?
• He could not account for his actions that night.
• Everyone was accounted for after the fire.

How to use it: account for something (Can you account for the missing money?); account for something to someone (She had to account for her absence to the manager.)

Similar words: explain

Common phrases: account for an absence, account for missing money, account for someone, account for every penny

To be the reason why something happens or is true.

• The rain accounts for the wet floor.
• Her experience accounted for her success.
• Could lack of sleep account for his strange behavior?

How to use it: account for something (Heavy traffic accounts for most of these delays.)

Similar words: explain, cause

Common phrases: account for the difference, account for a delay, account for something

To have a duty to explain your actions and accept responsibility for them.

• You must account for your actions.
• The officers had to account for their conduct before a judge.
• Who will account for these serious mistakes?

How to use it: account for something to someone (Officials must account for their decisions to the public.)

Similar words: answer for, be responsible for

Common phrases: account for your actions, account for your conduct

To kill someone or something, or damage it so it can no longer operate.

• The fox accounted for three hens.
• Their guns accounted for several enemy aircraft.
• Hunters accounted for fewer rabbits than disease did.

How to use it: account for someone/something (The patrol accounted for two enemy tanks.)

Similar words: destroy, kill, disable

Common phrases: account for enemy aircraft, account for several rabbits