according to

preposition

1

: in conformity with

2

: as stated or attested by

3

: depending on

Examples of according to in a Sentence

According to rumors I've heard, he was fired for stealing from the company.

She always did everything according to the rules.

I cooked the rice according to the directions on the box.

He was paid according to how quickly he worked.

Recent Examples on the Web

Simmons lived at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter In Kips Bay, according to police. —Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026

Temperatures are also expected to be slightly above normal in May and June, according to the weather model. —Sing Yee Ong, Bloomberg, 27 Apr. 2026

Jackson DeCosta, a tall and slender teenager with a metabolism faster than Lamar Jackson’s 40 time, had no such worries during a long Saturday in the draft room, according to his father. —Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026

That timeline is so short in part because the $2 million grant proposal was originally part of a larger project that has since been delayed, according to Santana. —R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English acordyng to, from acordyng "agreeing" (from present participle of accorden "to accord entry 1") + to to entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for according to

• hullabaloo
• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup

Kids Definition

according to

preposition

1

: in agreement with

did everything according to the rules

2

: as stated by

according to the experts

3

: depending on

dress according to the weather