What does accordingly mean?
Accordingly is an adverb with two closely related uses: it can mean "therefore" or "as a result," linking a statement to what has just been said, or it can mean "in a manner suited to the circumstances." For example, one might write that sales figures fell and that plans were changed accordingly, or advise travelers to pack warm clothes if temperatures are expected to drop. The word carries a formal, professional tone and appears often in business reports, legal texts, official instructions, and careful prose, though it remains perfectly natural in ordinary conversation among educated speakers. Its flexibility makes it valuable: it can serve purely as a logical connector between clauses, or it can indicate that behavior, spending, planning, or judgment has been adjusted to fit new information. Because it compresses cause-and-effect reasoning into a single word, accordingly is a hallmark of concise, precise English.
Consequently; therefore, as a result of what has been said or done.
"The road was closed, and traffic was diverted accordingly."
Often begins a clause after a semicolon or period, functioning like therefore or hence.
In a way that is appropriate to the circumstances or consistent with previous information.
"Staff were briefed on the new policy and instructed to act accordingly."
Frequently follows verbs such as act, plan, adjust, prepare, or respond.
Accordingly comes from Latin cor, meaning heart — so when you act accordingly, you're literally acting 'from the heart' of what was said.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of accordingly
Accordingly derives from the verb accord, which came into Middle English from Old French acorder, itself from Latin accordare, formed from ad- ("to") plus cor/cordis ("heart"). The underlying sense is thus "to be at heart with" — to agree — which gives accordingly its core idea of acting or concluding in agreement with what precedes. The adverb developed in late Middle English from the participle according plus the adverbial suffix -ly. Cognates sharing the same Latin root include accord, accordance, concord, and discord.
How accordingly is actually used
"Accordingly" sits toward the formal end of the register spectrum and appears frequently in business writing, legal documents, and formal correspondence. In everyday speech, speakers often prefer simpler connectives such as "so," "then," or "that's why." When placed at the start of a sentence it functions as a conjunctive adverb linking cause and effect; mid-sentence it more often signals that action matches prior information.
Easily confused with accordingly
"According" is used in the phrase "according to" to mean "as stated by" a source, while "accordingly" is an adverb meaning "consequently" or "in the appropriate manner."
The redundant phrase "accordingly so" duplicates meaning and should simply be "accordingly."