English vocabulary · C2
Accrue
/əˈkruː/ · v.
When costs accrue, they get larger as time passes. Even if you buy nothing new, the amount you have to pay can keep getting larger.
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Example sentences
- Loan fees accrue each day.
- Good results accrue from hard work.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- accrescere — grow (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- ACCUMULATE — build into a larger amount (More over time)
- GROW — get bigger over time (Become greater)
- MOUNT — become larger and larger (Rise in amount)
Similar words
- accumulate
- grow
- mount
- increase
- collect
Lesson notes
When costs accrue, they get larger as time passes. Even if you buy nothing new, the amount you have to pay can keep getting larger.
Related: accumulate, grow, mount. Use accrue when amounts grow with time.
Loan fees accrue each day. Good results accrue from hard work.
From Latin. Accrescere- means grow. In English, small gains accrue as the long quiet days pass.