accompany

verb

ac·​com·​pa·​ny ə-ˈkəmp-nē How to pronounce accompany (audio)
-ˈkämp-;
-ˈkəm-pə-,
-ˈkäm- How to pronounce accompany (audio)
accompanied; accompanying

transitive verb

1
: to go with as an associate or companion
She accompanied me to the store.
2
: to perform an accompaniment to or for
He will be accompanying her on the piano.
3
a
: to cause to be in association
accompanied their advice with a warning
b
: to be in association with
the pictures that accompany the text

intransitive verb

music : to perform an accompaniment

Examples of accompany in a Sentence

She will accompany me to the store. Ten adults accompanied the class on their field trip. Children under 17 must be accompanied by an adult to see this movie. A delicious sauce accompanied the grilled fish. He will be accompanying her on the piano.
Recent Examples on the Web The annexation of Gaza, which would, for Israel to consider, have to be accompanied by the mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, will not lead to an end of the conflict. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2023 The accompanying exhibition catalog will be published by Phaidon and features a foreword by Brooklyn Museum Director Anne Pasternak, interviews with artists in the Dean Collection, and a conversation between the Deans and exhibition curator Kimberli Gant. Okla Jones, Essence, 28 Nov. 2023 Beer and tequila abound at the local cantina Salón París, and La Polar in San Rafael serves steaming bowls of birria, a regional beef stew, accompanied by raucous mariachi bands playing late into the night. Michael Snyder, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023 But the joy was accompanied by pain over those who remained in Hamas captivity. Anat Peled, WSJ, 27 Nov. 2023 The motorcade accompanying Rosalynn made stops at at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia, where past and current members of her Secret Service detail escorted the hearse. Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 27 Nov. 2023 The Israel Defense Forces said Israeli military personnel were accompanying the hostages to hospitals. Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner, 24 Nov. 2023 Then, of course, there is the flaw that almost always accompanies stories in which the past gets changed by time-travelers: Where did those time-travelers come from? Jennifer Ouellette and Sean M. Carroll, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2023 In a statement accompanying his campaign launch, Vindman named Trump as a reason for launching his campaign. Alexandra Marquez, NBC News, 16 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'accompany.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English accompanien "to make (someone) a companion or associate, be in company with, attend," borrowed from Anglo-French acumpainer, acompaigner "to join together, frequent, keep the company of," from a-, prefix forming transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + cumpaing, cumpaignun companion entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of accompany was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near accompany

Cite this Entry

“Accompany.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accompany. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

accompany

verb
ac·​com·​pa·​ny ə-ˈkəmp-(ə-)nē How to pronounce accompany (audio)
accompanied; accompanying
1
: to go with or attend as a companion
2
: to perform an accompaniment to or for
3
: to occur at the same time as or along with
a thunderstorm accompanied by high winds
Etymology

Middle English accompanien "to accompany," from early French acompaigner (same meaning), from a- "to" and cumpaing "companion," from Latin companio "companion" — related to companion, company

More from Merriam-Webster on accompany

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