accompany
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to go along or in company with; join in action.
to accompany a friend on a walk.
-
to be or exist in association or company with.
Thunder accompanies lightning.
-
to put in company with; cause to be or go along; associate (usually followed bywith ).
He accompanied his speech with gestures.
-
Music. to play or sing an accompaniment to or for.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(tr) to go along with, so as to be in company with or escort
-
to supplement
the food is accompanied with a very hot mango pickle
-
(tr) to occur, coexist, or be associated with
-
to provide a musical accompaniment for (a performer)
Synonym Usage
Accompany, attend, convoy, escort mean to go along with someone (or something). To accompany is to go along as an associate on equal terms: to accompany a friend on a shopping trip. Attend implies going along with, usually to render service or perform duties: to attend one's employer on a business trip. To convoy is to accompany (especially ships) with an armed guard for protection: to convoy a fleet of merchant vessels. To escort is to accompany in order to protect, guard, honor, or show courtesy: to escort a visiting dignitary.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has accompaniedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have accompaniedperfect
-
are accompanyingprogressive
-
am accompanyingprogressive 1st person singular
-
accompaniessingular 3rd person
-
have been accompanyingperfect progressive
-
accompanyingparticiple
-
has been accompanyingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
is accompanyingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
-
had accompaniedperfect
-
had been accompanyingperfect progressive
-
accompaniedsimple
-
accompaniedparticiple
-
was accompanyingprogressive singular
-
were accompanyingprogressive plural
Future
Etymology
Origin of accompany
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English accompanye, from Middle French accompagnier; see ac-, company
Explanation
The verb accompany means to keep someone company, or to be their companion on a trip or journey. In a musical sense, accompany means to play background music for the lead singer or soloist. If you want your friend to keep you company on your way to the store, you could ask her to accompany you on the walk. Or, if you want your friend to play piano while you sing a song, you could ask her to accompany you on piano. Just don’t ask her to do both at the same time or your friend may not want to accompany you anywhere any longer.
Vocabulary lists containing accompany
The Circuit
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Tribute to the Dog," Vocabulary from the speech
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Lob's Girl" by Joan Aiken
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And a problem for market bulls is that such a capex reduction may coincide with two classic markers that Perkins believes usually accompany a market top: insider selling and monetary tightening.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
Many of the victims were foreigners - including people from South Asian and African countries - who had travelled to India for medical treatment or to accompany relatives undergoing care, local media reported.
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
She asks Ava to accompany her, after they take a girls trip to Paris.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
Supporters believe it could eventually help musicians train more efficiently, avoid injury, and overcome physical limitations that often accompany years of intense practice.
From Science Daily • May 28, 2026
Z hadn’t felt too guilty about that until he’d discovered that Dallas was the boy who was going to accompany Sairy on her trip.
From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
