Accord vs. Agreement — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 5, 2023
Accord refers to harmony or agreement in feeling or opinion, while an agreement is a formal arrangement, often in written form, between parties.
Difference Between Accord and Agreement
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Accord and Agreement, while closely related in English, serve different nuanced purposes. An accord often implies a spontaneous or voluntary harmony or unity in opinion, feeling, or intent between parties.
Agreement, in contrast, typically implies a more formal understanding, often documented, between two or more entities. This could be a legal contract or a simple verbal agreement based on mutual consent.
The term accord may also be used more broadly, suggesting not just a mutual understanding, but also a harmonious relationship, such as nations living in accord. This indicates peaceful coexistence and cooperation.
On the other hand, agreement is more specific and concrete. It's commonly associated with negotiations or discussions where terms and conditions are set, and both parties accept these terms, either in writing or verbally.
In summary, while both accord and agreement point toward some form of mutual understanding, accord is often more spontaneous and less formal, while an agreement tends to be more concrete and specific.
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Comparison Chart
Nature
Spontaneous or voluntary harmony
Formal understanding, often documented
Usage
Broad, may denote peaceful coexistence
Specific, related to set terms and conditions
Formality
Less formal
More formal
Documentation
Not necessarily documented
Often in written form
Context
Can be in sentiment, opinion, or intent
Typically after negotiations or discussions
Compare with Definitions
Accord
Harmony or unity in opinion or feeling.
The two nations lived in accord despite their differences.
Agreement
Harmony or accordance in opinion or feeling.
The team worked in agreement.
Accord
A formal agreement between parties.
The two countries signed an accord to promote trade.
Agreement
The absence of inconsistency.
The stories were in agreement with each other.
Accord
A settled understanding.
They reached an accord about how to proceed.
Agreement
The act of agreeing.
The agreement of the proposal was unanimous.
Accord
To give or grant, especially as being due or appropriate
Accorded the president the proper deference.
Agreement
Harmony or accordance in opinion or feeling
The governments failed to reach agreement
The two officers nodded in agreement
Accord
(Archaic) To cause to conform or agree; bring into harmony.
Agreement
The act of agreeing
When did the agreement take place?.
Accord
To be in agreement, unity, or harmony.
Agreement
Harmony of opinion; accord
Since we are all in agreement, let's proceed.
Accord
Agreement; harmony
Act in accord with university policies.
Agreement
An arrangement between parties, usually resulting from a discussion, regarding a course of action.
Accord
A settlement or compromise between conflicting parties
The strikers and the owners reached an accord.
Agreement
A properly executed and legally binding contract.
Accord
Spontaneous or voluntary desire to take a certain action
The children returned on their own accord. He confessed of his own accord.
Agreement
The writing or document embodying this contract.
Accord
Agreement or concurrence of opinion, will, or action.
Agreement
(Grammar) Correspondence in gender, number, case, or person between words.
Accord
A harmony in sound, pitch and tone; concord.
Agreement
(countable) An understanding between entities to follow a specific course of conduct.
To enter an agreement;
The UK and US negotiators nearing agreement;
He nodded his agreement.
Accord
Agreement or harmony of things in general.
The accord of light and shade in painting
Agreement
(uncountable) A state whereby several parties share a view or opinion; the state of not contradicting one another.
The results of my experiment are in agreement with those of Michelson and with the law of General Relativity.
Accord
A distinctive mixture of fragrances or the odor thereof.
Agreement
A legally binding contract enforceable in a court of law.
Accord
(legal) An agreement between parties in controversy, by which satisfaction for an injury is stipulated, and which, when executed, prevents a lawsuit.
Agreement
Rules that exist in many languages that force some parts of a sentence to be used or inflected differently depending on certain attributes of other parts.
Accord
(international law) An international agreement.
The Geneva Accord of 1954 ended the French-Indochinese War.
Agreement
An agreeable quality.
Accord
(obsolete) Assent
Agreement
State of agreeing; harmony of opinion, statement, action, or character; concurrence; concord; conformity; as, a good agreement subsists among the members of the council.
What agreement hath the temple of God with idols ?
Expansion and duration have this further agreement.
Accord
Voluntary or spontaneous impulse to act.
Nobody told me to do it. I did it of my own accord.
Agreement
Concord or correspondence of one word with another in gender, number, case, or person.
Accord
(transitive) To make to agree or correspond; to suit one thing to another; to adjust.
Agreement
A concurrence in an engagement that something shall be done or omitted; an exchange of promises; mutual understanding, arrangement, or stipulation; a contract.
Accord
(transitive) To bring (people) to an agreement; to reconcile, settle, adjust or harmonize.
Agreement
The statement (oral or written) of an exchange of promises;
They had an agreement that they would not interfere in each other's business
There was an understanding between management and the workers
Accord
(intransitive) To agree or correspond; to be in harmony; to be concordant.
Agreement
Compatibility of observations;
There was no agreement between theory and measurement
The results of two tests were in correspondence
Accord
(intransitive) To agree in pitch and tone.
Agreement
Harmony of people's opinions or actions or characters;
The two parties were in agreement
Accord
To grant as suitable or proper; to concede or award.
Agreement
The thing arranged or agreed to;
They made arrangements to meet in Chicago
Accord
To give consent.
Agreement
The determination of grammatical inflection on the basis of word relations
Accord
To arrive at an agreement.
Agreement
The verbal act of agreeing
Accord
Agreement or concurrence of opinion, will, or action; harmony of mind; consent; assent.
A mediator of an accord and peace between them.
These all continued with one accord in prayer.
Agreement
A mutual understanding between parties about their relative rights and claims.
They made an agreement to share the profits.
Accord
Harmony of sounds; agreement in pitch and tone; concord; as, the accord of tones.
Those sweet accords are even the angels' lays.
Agreement
A contractually binding document.
She signed the rental agreement for the apartment.
Accord
Agreement, harmony, or just correspondence of things; as, the accord of light and shade in painting.
Accord
Voluntary or spontaneous motion or impulse to act; - preceded by own; as, of one's own accord.
That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap.
Of his own accord he went unto you.
Accord
An agreement between parties in controversy, by which satisfaction for an injury is stipulated, and which, when executed, bars a suit.
They rushed with one accord into the theater.
Accord
To make to agree or correspond; to suit one thing to another; to adjust; - followed by to.
Her hands accorded the lute's music to the voice.
Accord
To bring to an agreement, as persons; to reconcile; to settle, adjust, harmonize, or compose, as things; as, to accord suits or controversies.
When they were accorded from the fray.
All which particulars, being confessedly knotty and difficult can never be accorded but by a competent stock of critical learning.
Accord
To grant as suitable or proper; to concede; to award; as, to accord to one due praise.
Accord
To agree; to correspond; to be in harmony; - followed by with, formerly also by to; as, his disposition accords with his looks.
My heart accordeth with my tongue.
Thy actions to thy words accord.
Accord
To agree in pitch and tone.
Accord
Harmony of people's opinions or actions or characters;
The two parties were in agreement
Accord
Concurrence of opinion;
We are in accord with your proposal
Accord
A written agreement between two states or sovereigns
Accord
Sympathetic compatibility
Accord
Go together;
The colors don't harmonize
Their ideas concorded
Accord
Allow to have;
Grant a privilege
Accord
Spontaneous or voluntary willingness.
She gave her accord to the plan.
Accord
Peaceful coexistence.
After years of conflict, the communities now live in accord.
Common Curiosities
Which is more binding, an accord or an agreement?
Generally, an agreement, especially if documented, is considered more binding.
Is every agreement an accord?
Not necessarily; while all accords indicate agreement, not all agreements are as spontaneous as accords.
Can accord be used in legal contexts?
Yes, but it's less common than "agreement" in formal legal settings.
Can an accord be written?
Yes, though it often implies spontaneity, an accord can be documented.
Which is broader in scope, accord or agreement?
Accord has a broader scope, denoting harmony or unity, while agreement is often more specific.
Are accord and agreement synonyms?
They're closely related but have nuanced differences; accord is often less formal than an agreement.
Is a peace accord the same as a peace agreement?
They're similar, but a peace accord might be more general, while a peace agreement might detail specific terms.
Can one act in accord with a written agreement?
Yes, acting in accord means acting in harmony or agreement with something, including a written agreement.
Can you breach an accord?
Yes, if parties don't act in harmony or as agreed, they can breach an accord.
How formal is an agreement?
An agreement can range from a casual verbal understanding to a formal written contract.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
