Another Word for “According to”: 45+ Right Synonyms for Every Context

You’re writing an essay. You’ve used “according to” three times in two paragraphs. It’s starting to feel lazy. You know there’s a better word out there, but every list you find treats all the options like they’re the same thing. They’re not.

Swapping “according to” isn’t just about variety. The word you choose signals your relationship to the source. It tells the reader whether you trust the information, whether you’re following a rule, or whether you’re simply passing along what someone said. That’s a lot of weight for a small phrase.

This guide breaks it all down clearly, so you can pick the right word every single time.

What Does “According to” Actually Mean?

Most people think it has one job. It actually has three.

• Attribution: “According to the report, sales dropped by 12%.” Here, it credits a source.

• Compliance: “According to the terms of the contract, payment is due Friday.” Here, it means in line with a rule or agreement.

• Dependency: “Salary is paid according to performance.” Here, it means based on a condition.

This three-way split is the reason you can’t just grab any synonym and plug it in. A word that works perfectly for attribution can break the sentence completely in a compliance context.

Another Word for “According to”: 45+ Quick Synonym Table

Word / Phrase	Tone	Best Used When	Short Example
As stated by	Neutral/Formal	Citing a person or text directly	As stated by the author, trust takes time.
As reported by	Journalistic	Referencing news or research	As reported by the survey team, costs rose.
As noted by	Academic	Adding a supporting reference	As noted by researchers, sleep affects mood.
As indicated by	Analytical	Pointing to trends or signals	As indicated by the data, growth is slowing.
As shown by	Evidence-based	Linking a claim to visible proof	As shown by the results, the method works.
As outlined by	Formal/Professional	Following a stated plan or guide	As outlined by the board, changes begin Monday.
As described by	Neutral	Referencing a description or account	As described by witnesses, it happened fast.
As explained by	Educational	When a source provides reasoning	As explained by the teacher, fractions follow patterns.
As observed by	Scientific/Formal	When a source records direct observation	As observed by the team, patterns shifted weekly.
As maintained by	Academic	When a source holds a firm position	As maintained by the author, the theory stands.
As suggested by	Cautious/Neutral	When evidence points toward, not proves	As suggested by early data, recovery is likely.
As claimed by	Skeptical	When the claim may be disputed	As claimed by the spokesperson, no rules were broken.
As asserted by	Confident/Formal	When a source makes a strong declaration	As asserted by the lead researcher, the link is clear.
Based on	General	Drawing a conclusion from information	Based on current trends, demand will grow.
Per	Workplace/Administrative	Referencing a request or directive	Per the client brief, all fonts must be sans-serif.
As per	Commercial/Formal	Following operational instructions	As per the manual, restart the device first.
In accordance with	Legal/High Formal	Strict compliance with rules or law	Funds were released in accordance with the agreement.
In line with	Strategy/Corporate	General alignment with a plan or policy	Changes were made in line with the new guidelines.
Pursuant to	Legal/Official	Acting on a formal directive	Pursuant to the court order, assets were frozen.
Consistent with	Scientific	Data matching previous models or patterns	Results are consistent with earlier findings.
In keeping with	Formal/Traditional	Staying true to a standard or expectation	In keeping with tradition, the event began at noon.
In compliance with	Legal/Regulatory	Following required rules or standards	The audit was done in compliance with tax law.
In conformity with	High Formal/Legal	Adhering to a set structure or rule	All documents were filed in conformity with regulations.
In harmony with	Soft Formal	Fitting naturally within a larger context	The design is in harmony with surrounding architecture.
By the account of	Narrative/Storytelling	Sharing someone’s personal experience	By the account of early settlers, winters were brutal.
Going by	Informal/Casual	Making everyday deductions	Going by the forecast, we should leave early.
From what [source] says	Conversational	Passing along someone’s informal word	From what the team says, launch is on track.
On the word of	Narrative/Formal	Placing trust in a specific person’s testimony	On the word of the inspector, the building was safe.
As gathered from	Research/Analytical	Drawing conclusions from collected sources	As gathered from multiple studies, results vary widely.
Citing	Academic/Journalistic	Directly referencing a source	Citing recent polls, the analyst predicted a shift.
On the basis of	Analytical/Formal	Using evidence as a foundation for reasoning	On the basis of the audit, three departments were reviewed.
Grounded in	Research/Formal	When something is deeply rooted in evidence	Her argument is grounded in decades of field research.
Derived from	Technical/Academic	When conclusions come out of data or text	The model was derived from population census data.
In the view of	Opinion-based	Presenting someone’s perspective	In the view of the committee, the proposal needs revision.
From the perspective of	Analytical/Opinion	Looking at something through someone’s lens	From the perspective of the patient, recovery felt slow.
As per the findings of	Research/Formal	Citing study outcomes specifically	As per the findings of the trial, the drug reduced symptoms.
Depending on	Conditional	When outcome varies by circumstance	Pay is adjusted depending on hours worked.
Subject to	Legal/Conditional	When something changes based on conditions	Approval is subject to committee review.
As conveyed by	Formal/Neutral	Passing along someone’s communicated message	As conveyed by the director, the timeline has shifted.

Two Synonym Groups You Should Never Mix Up

Synonyms for “According to” When You Are Crediting a Source

This is the attribution sense. You are saying: this information comes from somewhere specific. Here, words like “as reported by,” “as noted by,” and “as stated by” work well. They credit without commentary.

But tone shifts depending on your trust level. “As demonstrated by” says you believe the source fully. “As suggested by” says the evidence points a direction but isn’t final. “As claimed by” introduces quiet doubt. You didn’t say the claim is wrong, but you didn’t say it’s right either.

This difference matters a lot in academic and journalistic writing. Choosing “as demonstrated by” for an unverified claim can look sloppy. Choosing “as claimed by” for a proven fact can seem unfair to the source.

“According to” Alternatives When You Are Following a Rule

Here, attribution words break down.

• “As stated by the contract” sounds odd.
• “In accordance with the contract” is exactly right.

For rules, laws, policies, and agreements, the compliance group is your zone: in accordance with, pursuant to, consistent with, in compliance with.

These aren’t interchangeable with the attribution group. Use them only when the meaning involves following or matching a structure that already exists.

Drop “According to” Completely With This One Sentence Trick

One of the most overlooked writing moves is dropping “according to” entirely by turning the source into the subject of the sentence. This makes writing cleaner and more confident.

Instead of: “According to Martinez (2023), sleep deprivation affects decision-making.”

Try: “Martinez (2023) argues that sleep deprivation affects decision-making.”

Here’s how to match the verb to the source’s intent:

• When the source presents hard proof: use demonstrates, shows, confirms, validates
• When the source makes a strong argument: use argues, contends, asserts, insists
• When the source observes or records: use notes, records, observes, reports
• When the source offers a theory: use proposes, suggests, theorizes, posits

This approach works especially well in essays and research papers. It signals that you understand the source’s purpose, not just its content.

How Strong Is Your Word? A Tone Scale for “According to” Synonyms

Not all synonyms carry the same weight. Here’s a rough scale from gentle to forceful, specifically for the attribution sense:

• Softest: As suggested by / Going by / From what [source] says
• Neutral: As noted by / As reported by / Based on / As stated by
• Confident: As shown by / As indicated by / As outlined by
• Firm: As demonstrated by / As confirmed by / Consistent with
• Strongest claim of certainty: As evidenced by / As proven by

Moving up this scale changes your stance. In formal academic writing, stronger words carry more responsibility. Only use “as evidenced by” if the evidence is genuinely solid.

See the Difference: Real Sentence Rewrites Using “According to” Alternatives

Original: According to the manager, the deadline has been moved.

• Formal: “As communicated by the manager, the deadline has been revised.”
• Casual: “Going by what the manager said, the deadline changed.”
• Academic: “The manager has indicated that the submission deadline will be extended.”
• Narrative: “By the manager’s account, the team now has more time.”

Original: According to the rules, no phones are allowed.

• Legal: “In accordance with facility regulations, mobile devices are prohibited.”
• Professional: “Per the policy, phones must be stored during sessions.”
• Casual: “Going by the rules, you can’t have your phone in there.”

Notice how the compliance synonyms don’t fit the attribution rewrite, and vice versa. That’s the split working in real sentences.

Other Ways to Say “According to” When You Mean “Depending On”

This version of “according to” gets ignored in most synonym lists. But it appears often:

“Pay varies according to experience.” Here, you’re describing a condition, not citing a source.

Alternatives that actually work here: depending on, based on, subject to, proportional to, in relation to, relative to.

• “Pay varies depending on experience” is clean and natural. 
• “Pay varies as reported by experience” makes no sense at all. 

This is exactly why context matters before you swap any word.

Mistakes Writers Make When Replacing “According to”

“According by” is not a phrase. It’s a frequent error, especially among non-native English speakers. It’s always “according to,” never “according by.”

Mixing compliance and attribution words. “As stated by the regulations” sounds off. Regulations don’t “state” to you the way a person does. They set rules. Use “in accordance with” or “under the regulations.”

Using “as claimed by” for accepted facts. If something is widely proven, “as claimed by” implies you’re doubting it. Save this phrase for contested or unverified statements.

Overusing “based on.” It’s general and flexible, which makes it tempting to use everywhere. But “based on the scientist” reads awkwardly. It works better with data, evidence, or conditions, not people.

Using formal compliance phrases in casual writing. “Pursuant to what my friend said” is technically correct and completely bizarre in conversation. Match your synonym to your register.

The Best “According to” Synonym for Each Writing Context

• In essays: “As noted by,” “as argued by,” “as demonstrated by,” and “grounded in” give your writing a polished, academic feel without sounding stiff.

• In professional emails: “As per,” “in line with,” and “as outlined by” fit naturally. Avoid “pursuant to” unless the message has a legal or official tone.

• In storytelling or narrative writing: “By the account of,” “going by,” and “on the word of” add a human, personal texture that academic phrases would kill.

• For informal or spoken style: “From what [person] says,” “going by,” and simply restructuring the sentence without attribution phrasing usually flows best.

Words Close to “According to” That Writers Often Mix Up

Per vs. As per: Both work in professional writing. “Per the brief” is shorter. “As per the brief” feels slightly more formal. Neither is wrong, but “as per” can sound redundant to some editors.

Pursuant to vs. In accordance with: “Pursuant to” often signals action following an order. “In accordance with” signals alignment with an existing standard. Both are legal in tone, but the first implies response to something specific.

Based on vs. Grounded in: “Based on” works for immediate conclusions from data. “Grounded in” suggests something more foundational, built over time and experience.

Choosing the Right “According to” Synonym Without Overthinking It

Before picking a synonym, ask yourself two quick questions.

First: Am I citing a source, or am I describing rule-following? If you are citing, go to the attribution group. If you are describing compliance, go to the formal/legal group.

Second: What is my trust level toward the source? Certain sources earn “as demonstrated by.” Questionable sources get “as claimed by.” Neutral sources get “as noted by” or “as reported by.”

Answer those two questions, and the right word becomes obvious almost every time.

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