Account refers to a report or description of an event or situation, or a record kept by an organization. It can function as a noun or verb, indicating responsibility, explanation, or the act of recording information. In everyday use, it conveys narrative clarity, bookkeeping, or financial obligation, and often appears in phrases like “on account of” or “to account for.”
US & AU accents are Premium
Unlock all accent variations
"I opened a new bank account to manage my savings."
"Please provide an accurate account of what happened during the meeting."
"The detective asked for an account of all movements that night."
"She had to account for every hour she spent at work."
Account comes from the Middle English acounte, derived from Old French acunt, from Latin computare meaning to reckon or calculate. The semantic shift centers on tallies, records, and explanations. Initially tied to bookkeeping and financial records, account broadened to include narratives that explain events or circumstances, and later to descriptions or reports used in both financial and general contexts. The term entered English through Norman influence, with “account” appearing in legal, commercial, and narrative forms by the late medieval period. By the 15th–16th centuries, its usage expanded into non-financial explanations (as in “an account of the affair”) and into verb form “to account for” meaning to explain or justify. Today, account retains dual lexical identities: the factual record (bank account, user account) and the explanatory narrative (give an account of).
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "account" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "account" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "account" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "account"
-unt sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
The standard pronunciation is /əˈkaʊnt/ (uh-KOWNT). Start with a schwa syllable, then a stressed diphthong /aʊ/ as in ‘out,’ and finish with an alveolar nasal+stop cluster /nt/. In careful speech you’ll hear a crisp end /nt/, but in fast speech it can be syllabic or slightly reduced. IPA references: US: /əˈkaʊnt/, UK: /əˈkaʊnt/, AU: /əˈkaʊnt/.
Common errors include misplacing stress (e.g., /ˈækaʊnt/ or /əˈkaʊn/), conflating /aʊ/ with /aʊə/ or mispronouncing the final /nt/ as /t/ with strong release. Another mistake is reducing the first syllable to a full /æ/ instead of a weak schwa. Correct by stabilizing the /ə/ before the stressed /aʊ/ and ensuring the /n/ and /t/ are crisp but not overly rolled. Practice with minimal pairs like ‘amount’ and ‘account’ to isolate /kaʊnt/.
US and UK accents share /əˈkaʊnt/, but US tends to a slightly more rhotic, with subtle vowel reductions in fast speech; UK may show more syllable timing and subtle vowel length differences. Australian tends toward a centralized schwa and a more compressed nucleus, while keeping the /aʊ/ diphthong prominent. Overall the primary stress pattern remains on the second syllable; final /nt/ is typically pronounced clearly in careful speech.
The difficulty centers on the two-part structure: a weak initial schwa followed by a strong /kaʊnt/ with a robust /aʊ/ diphthong and a tight final /nt/ cluster. Non-native speakers often misplace stress or merge /n/ and /t/, producing /kaunt/ or /kəˈaʊnt/ poorly. Fine-tuning mouth position for /ə/ (lax mid-central vowel), the /aʊ/ glide, and the alveolar stop with consistent release reduces ambiguity in connected speech.
A distinctive aspect is the potential for fragmentation in connected speech: speakers may reduce the initial syllable to a quick schwa and glide into the /aʊnt/ portion, occasionally producing a light nasal onset before the /aʊ/. For learners, focusing on a clean /ə/ before the stressed /aʊ/ and maintaining a crisp /nt/ ending helps preserve intelligibility in both formal and informal contexts.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "account"!
No related words found
