on account of

/ɒn əˈkaʊnt əv/
prepositional phrase★Intermediate— because of
formalinformal

Because of; due to

He was late on account of traffic.

He was late because of traffic.

The project was delayed on account of funding issues.

The project was delayed due to funding issues.

💡

This phrase is more formal than 'because of' and is often used in writing or formal speech.

Collocations

on account of the weatherdue to the weatheron account of financial difficultiesbecause of financial difficulties

Related Phrases

for the sake ofphrase
for the purpose of

💡Pro Tip

Formal Usage

Use 'on account of' in formal writing or professional settings for a more polished tone.

⚡Gold Rule

Avoid Overuse

While 'on account of' is grammatically correct, it can sound overly formal or archaic in casual conversation. Use 'because of' in informal contexts.

📖Word Origin

The phrase originates from the combination of the preposition 'on' and the noun phrase 'account of', where 'account' refers to a reason or explanation.

📝Usage Notes

This phrase is more formal than 'because of' and is often used in writing or formal speech. It can be used interchangeably with 'because of' in most contexts.

Word Breakdown

on
indicates a reason or cause
preposition
+
account
a reason or explanation
noun
+
of
indicates a relationship
preposition
English Dictionary