accrued; accruing
1
: to come into existence as a legally enforceable claim
2
a
: to come about as a natural growth, increase, or advantage
the wisdom that accrues with age
b
: to come as a direct result of some state or action
rewards due to the feminine will accrue to me—
Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer3
: to accumulate or be added periodically
interest accrues on a daily basis
: to accumulate or have due after a period of time
accrue vacation time
Examples of accrue in a Sentence
I'll get back all the money I invested, plus any interest and dividends that have accrued.
investments that have accrued interest and dividends
Recent Examples on the Web
When the account term expires, the bank pays you back your initial deposit plus whatever interest accrued over the term.
—Blake Harris, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Meanwhile, American health care is on the line: New analysis shows about 11 million Americans would lose health insurance coverage under Trump's bill, and experts say the uninsured might delay care and accrue more medical debt.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 6 June 2025
However, in the U.S., only the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) can pay the latter type of royalty when they’re accrued through streamers like Spotify, and the MLC didn’t exist when Blue Smiley was a band.
—Tyler Hicks, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
Fresh infrastructure also arose for ride-shares and scooters and it was hardly lost on Nashville’s city leaders that much of this new tax revenue was accruing from families who live outside city limits.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for accrue
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Blake Harris, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Meanwhile, American health care is on the line: New analysis shows about 11 million Americans would lose health insurance coverage under Trump's bill, and experts say the uninsured might delay care and accrue more medical debt.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 6 June 2025
However, in the U.S., only the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) can pay the latter type of royalty when they’re accrued through streamers like Spotify, and the MLC didn’t exist when Blue Smiley was a band.
—Tyler Hicks, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
Fresh infrastructure also arose for ride-shares and scooters and it was hardly lost on Nashville’s city leaders that much of this new tax revenue was accruing from families who live outside city limits.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for accrue
Cite this Entry
“Accrue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accrue. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
accrue
verb
ac·crue
ə-ˈkrü 
accrued; accruing
1
: to come about as a natural growth or addition
benefits accrue to society from education
2
: to accumulate over a period of time
accrued interest
accrual
noun
-ˈkrü-əl
Legal Definition
accrue
verb
ac·crue
ə-ˈkrü
accrued; accruing
1
: to come into existence as an enforceable claim : vest as a right
action…does not accrue until the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known that he may have suffered injury—National Law Journal
National Law JournalNote: Statutes of limitations begin to run when a cause of action accrues.
2
: to come by way of increase or addition : arise as a growth or result
—usually used with to or from
advantages accruing to society from the freedom of the press
interest accrues to the seller as a result of the delay
3
: to be periodically accumulated in the process of time whether as an increase or a decrease
the accruing of taxes
allowing the receivable interest to accrue
1
: to accumulate or have due after a period of time
authorized by law to accrue leave in the maximum amount of 90 days
2
: to enter in the books as an accrual
Etymology
Middle French accreue increase, addition to a property, from feminine of accreu, past participle of acreistre to increase
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share