accord

American  

[uh-kawrd] / əˈkɔrd /

verb (used without object)

• accords,
  present (3rd person singular)
• accorded,
  past participle,  past
• according
  present participle

1. to be in agreement or harmony; agree.

   Synonyms:

   concur, harmonize

   Antonyms:

   conflict

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verb (used with object)

• accords,
  present (3rd person singular)
• accorded,
  past participle,  past
• according
  present participle

1. to make agree or correspond; adapt.

   Synonyms:

   reconcile

2. to grant; bestow.

   to accord due praise.

   Antonyms:

   withdraw, deny, withhold

3. Archaic. to settle; reconcile.

noun

• accords
  plural

1. proper relationship or proportion; harmony.

2. a harmonious union of sounds, colors, etc.

3. consent or concurrence of opinions or wills; agreement.

4. an international agreement; settlement of questions outstanding among nations.

idioms

1. of one's own accord, without being asked or told; voluntarily.

   We did the extra work of our own accord.

accord British  

/ əˈkɔːd /

noun

1. agreement; conformity; accordance (esp in the phrase in accord with )

2. consent or concurrence of opinion

3. unanimously

4. pleasing relationship between sounds, colours, etc; harmony

5. a settlement of differences, as between nations; compromise

6. voluntarily

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verb

1. to be or cause to be in harmony or agreement

2. (tr) to grant; bestow

accord More Idioms  

1. see of one's own accord.

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Usage

What does accord mean? To accord is to agree or be in harmony with someone or something. Accord is usually used formally to mean to work together. It is often used in official decrees, analysis of public figures, and governmental affairs. Related to this, an accord is an agreement. In particular when nations agree to something, we often say they have reached an accord, as with the Paris Climate Accords. To accord can also mean to grant or bestow. Oftentimes an item that is accorded is something that will strengthen a relationship or agreement, as with according someone praise or forgiveness. Example: Failure to reach an accord will mean the battle will continue for years to come.

Synonym Usage

See correspond.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• accorder
  noun
• nonaccord
  noun
• preaccord
  noun
• accordable
  adjective
• unaccordable
  adjective
• unaccorded
  adjective
• well-accorded
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• accords
  plural

Participles

• according
  present
• accorded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• accord
  simple
• accords
  simple
• have accorded
  perfect
• has accorded
  perfect
• am according
  progressive
• are according
  progressive
• is according
  progressive
• have been according
  perfect progressive
• has been according
  perfect progressive

Past

• accorded
  simple
• had accorded
  perfect
• was according
  progressive
• were according
  progressive
• had been according
  perfect progressive

Future

• will accord
  simple
• will have accorded
  perfect
• will be according
  progressive
• will have been according
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of accord

First recorded in 1100–50; Middle English a(c)corden, late Old English acordan, from Old French acorder, from Vulgar Latin accordāre (unrecorded), from Latin ac- ac- + cor (stem cord- ) “heart” ( see cordial); see also heart

Explanation

An accord is an agreement between groups or even nations, like a formal peace accord that prevents war or the accord between you and your sister specifying who gets to use the car on which days. Accord is an agreeable word. If you and your best friend are always in accord, you agree about everything. And if you do something of your own accord, you do it without prompting from someone else. As a verb, accord means to be in harmony or agreement, or to allow. Perhaps your enhanced vocabulary will accord you, or allow you, a better understanding of language.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

accord accords accorded according

It was barred the following year, when a peace accord largely ended three decades of conflict over British rule.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

But not all experts are impressed with the accord.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

I was alternately excited and apprehensive to take part, and my editor would like me to note that I pitched this story on my own accord.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

“I have no idea what this oil accord is about, but it’s welcome if it’s going to resolve our economic situation.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

The door swung open of its own accord.

From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo

The prospect of geopolitical accords were a relief for stock indexes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

The accords, launched by Nasa in 2020, are non-binding and require no parliamentary ratification, membership fee or financial contribution to sign.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

He has made climate accords with foreign nations, jetted to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping, and committed California to a net-zero “partnership” with China.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

These accords involve Arab or Muslim countries normalizing relations with Israel.

From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026

“It is here written, ‘Seven entered Meereen to sign the peace accords and witness the celebratory games at the Pit of Daznak.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Selecting a Thanksgiving day was a royal prerogative, he declared, accorded solely to him as the representative of the Catholic King James II. Andros named Dec. 1 as Thanksgiving Day for all New England.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 25, 2025

That AFP was accorded rare access to film and photograph a competition for women and girls was itself a sign of greater official openness.

From Barron's ● Nov. 17, 2025

Mr Cheetham said the policy also "accorded with relevant legislation and guidance at the time".

From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2025

Fans — many? most? all? — saw these arrests as special bad treatment accorded to a famous person, but, says Reubens, “30 years later, I still feel the effects all the time.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2025

The boy was doing a man’s work; he was due the dignity accorded to a man.

From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt

Warner’s outgoing chief executive Zaslav will leave with a golden parachute valued at about $887 million, which includes cash, stock and options valued at more than $550 million, according to regulatory filings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

All have become guaranteed starters and reliable stars for England, with the Barcelona winger the latest to look, according to captain Kane, like one of the Three Lions' "main men".

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

The site has been expanded to include a sophisticated signals intelligence facility, which has prompted France and the US to consider moving their own bases in Djibouti to avoid Chinese intercepts, according to Kurlantzick.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

Humanoids also aren’t very compatible with actuators made for traditional robots, according to Apptronik’s Cardenas, whose company has designed about 80 different actuators for its robots.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

And though they’d all lived here, they’d each adorned the space according to their own taste.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• affirm
• agree
• conform
• correspond