What does "accounting" mean?
The development and use of a system for recording and analyzing the financial transactions and financial status of an individual or a business.
Accounting
/əˈkaʊn.tɪŋ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The development and use of a system for recording and analyzing the financial transactions and financial status of an individual or a business.
- Grammar: accounting is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: account, account, account rendered, account statement.
- Useful contrasts: conceal, delete, erase.
- Usage evidence: There is no accounting for tastes.
How to use "accounting"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "accounting" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "accounting" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "accounting" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "accounting" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "accounting" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "account" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "accounting", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The development and use of a system for recording and analyzing the financial transactions and financial status of an individual or a business. uncountable, usually
"British Railways are beginning to reap the advantages of electronics applied to accounting. At Swindon Works, a computor, the first of its type to be used anywhere in the world, was installed recently to deal with the pay of some 10,000 employees."
- 2 the occupation of maintaining and auditing records and preparing financial reports for a business wordnet
- 3 A relaying of events; justification of actions. uncountable, usually
"He was required to give a thorough accounting of his time."
- 4 a system that provides quantitative information about finances wordnet
- 5 An equitable remedy requiring wrongfully obtained profits to be distributed to those who deserve them. uncountable, usually
"In contrast, an accounting for profits, or accounting— a distinct form of relief that the majority groups with disgorgement — has a well-accepted definition: It compels a defendant to account for, and repay to a plaintiff, those profits that belong to the plaintiff in equity."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 a convincing explanation that reveals basic causes wordnet
- 7 a statement of recent transactions and the resulting balance wordnet
- 8 a bookkeeper's chronological list of related debits and credits of a business; forms part of a ledger of accounts wordnet
Verb
- 1 present participle and gerund of account form-of, gerund, participle, present
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"There is no accounting for tastes."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "accounting"?
Common synonyms include: account, account, account rendered, account statement, accountancy, accountancy.
How do you use "accounting" in a sentence?
There is no accounting for tastes.
How do you pronounce "accounting"?
Pronounced /əˈkaʊn.tɪŋ/.
Etymology
* First attested in the late 14th century. * account + -ing