accrue
verb
ac·crue ə-ˈkrü 
accrued; accruing
intransitive verb
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
transitive verb
: to accumulate or have due after a period of time
accrue vacation time
accruable
ə-ˈkrü-ə-bəl
adjective accruement
ə-ˈkrü-mənt
noun 
Example Sentences
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 Appalachian State allowed Texas A&M to accrue only 186 offensive yards on just 38 offensive plays. Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2022 And yet: The effects of the new law will be nuanced, and some companies stand to accrue more benefits than others. Julia Horowitz, CNN, 17 Aug. 2022 The Internet notoriously sees cringe as currency — with users dredging up the most embarrassing videos from the bowels of TikTok as a way to accrue likes via second-hand shame. Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2022 Organizations all over Kentucky have begun to accrue funds needed to send to those families hit hardest by the flooding. Caleb Stultz, The Courier-Journal, 29 July 2022 Organizations have begun to accrue funds needed to send to those families hit hardest by the flooding. Caleb Stultz, USA TODAY, 29 July 2022 Some laws allow unpaid restitution to accrue interest, and turn into a civil liability, which can in turn wreak havoc on credit scores and other public records of consequence. New York Times, 14 July 2022 Most of his compensation consists of stock grants, which depend on steep appreciation of Intel’s stock to accrue any value. oregonlive, 17 May 2022 The nuances of how quickly these gains and losses should accrue become deeply important for modelers and decision makers alike. Evan Coopersmith, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022 See More
Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2022 And yet: The effects of the new law will be nuanced, and some companies stand to accrue more benefits than others. Julia Horowitz, CNN, 17 Aug. 2022 The Internet notoriously sees cringe as currency — with users dredging up the most embarrassing videos from the bowels of TikTok as a way to accrue likes via second-hand shame. Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2022 Organizations all over Kentucky have begun to accrue funds needed to send to those families hit hardest by the flooding. Caleb Stultz, The Courier-Journal, 29 July 2022 Organizations have begun to accrue funds needed to send to those families hit hardest by the flooding. Caleb Stultz, USA TODAY, 29 July 2022 Some laws allow unpaid restitution to accrue interest, and turn into a civil liability, which can in turn wreak havoc on credit scores and other public records of consequence. New York Times, 14 July 2022 Most of his compensation consists of stock grants, which depend on steep appreciation of Intel’s stock to accrue any value. oregonlive, 17 May 2022 The nuances of how quickly these gains and losses should accrue become deeply important for modelers and decision makers alike. Evan Coopersmith, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English acrewen, acruwen, probably borrowed from Anglo-French *acreue "increase," noun derivative from feminine of acreu, past participle of acreistre "to increase, grow," going back to Latin accrēscere, from ad- ad- + crēscere "to grow" — more at crescent entry 1
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Legal Definition
accrue
verb
ac·crue ə-ˈkrü
accrued; accruing
intransitive verb
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
transitive verb
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
accruing
verb
as in accumulating
to increase in amount as time passes They accrued vacation time throughout the calendar year. A penny-pincher who is accruing a fortune by spending next to nothing. Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- accumulating
- maximizing
- collecting
- amassing
- extending
- gaining
- enhancing
- expanding
- enriching
- enlarging
- mounting
- elevating
- stepping up
- boosting
- tripling (in)
- gathering
- doubling (in)
- ramping (up)
- building up
- jacking (up)
- growing (in)
- picking up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dwindling
- falling (in)
- tapering
- lessening
- dipping
- losing
- declining (in)
- diminishing (in)
- abating
- tapering off
- decreasing (in)