according
Americanadjective
adjective
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(foll by to) in proportion; in relation
salary will be according to age and experience
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(foll by to) on the report (of); as stated (by)
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(foll by to) in conformity (with); in accordance (with)
everything went according to plan
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(foll by as) depending (on whether)
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not_standard dependent on
it's all according where you want to go
Etymology
Origin of according
Explanation
If someone says, "according to the weather man, it's going to rain," that means that the weather man is the source of the information. Like the word accord, according comes from the Old French acorder meaning "reconcile, agree, be in harmony." According and the word to seem to be in harmony, the one always followed by the other. The term according to can be used to attribute something reported — according to the news, the airports are closed (even though according to your friend, they're still open). It also refers to agreement with a plan. If you study according to your advisor's suggestions, you'll do well.
Vocabulary lists containing according
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade 11)
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SHSAT: Language of the Test
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Perhaps his most interesting remark was directed at unspecified people in “positions of authority” who, according to Thomas, had abandoned their core beliefs to receive public praise.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
Asian financiers in particular displayed clear worry "about real shortages of energy," according to those in the room.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Between September 2021 and April 2023, Buchanan and others planned cyber attacks on entertainment, telecommunications, technology, and virtual currency companies, according to the DOJ.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
Already, only 358 of the S&P 500’s constituents are in the green for the past twelve months according to FactSet, while the index as a whole is up 34%.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
This was the result of the Swanburne hair poultice that was applied on a regular basis, to repel lice and fleas and encourage healthy scalps, according to school policy.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
