ensconce
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to settle securely or snugly.
I found her in the library, ensconced in an armchair.
-
to cover or shelter; hide securely.
He ensconced himself in the closet in order to eavesdrop.
verb
-
to establish or settle firmly or comfortably
ensconced in a chair
-
to place in safety; hide
Etymology
Origin of ensconce
Explanation
If you ensconce yourself somewhere, you settle in for quite a while, such as when you're home with the flu and ensconce yourself on the couch with the remote control, tissues, your phone, and a big glass of orange juice. Ensconce dates to the 1580s, when it literally meant "to cover with a fort." It isn't quite clear whether the word can be traced to French or Dutch, which has a word schans that describes "earthwork." Today, you don't need a protective structure like a fort in order to be ensconced, but the idea of being surrounded is key to the word's meaning.
Vocabulary lists containing ensconce
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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.
See Examples For:
Not surprisingly, John and Yoko quickly ensconce themselves among the nation’s glitterati, making vital connections with the likes of "yippie" founder Jerry Rubin, Black Panther Bobby Seale and poet Allen Ginsberg.
From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2025
Now, though – with Valverde gone and Suárez injured – Griezmann can ensconce, and against Getafe he showed his potential, applying a lovely finish to Lionel Messi’s through-ball before contributing to Sergi Roberto’s winner.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 17, 2020
It is plainly absurd to lionize and further the feral spirit of rock, and then to ensconce it behind archival Plexiglas.
From The New Yorker ● May 2, 2017
The NightHawks' synthetic leather pads just ensconce the ear in soft and velvety loveliness.
From The Verge ● May 20, 2016
The real estate taxes her father was paying would have been double the amount of money required to ensconce her in the most expensive boarding school.
From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin
Stephen Cloobeck — a one-time California gubernatorial candidate ensconced in Democratic political circles — pleaded not guilty to witness tampering charges Friday related to a burglary case against his former paramour, OnlyFans model Adva Lavie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
The company is late to that market, where Nvidia is ensconced as a near-unassailable leader.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
They could not quite make the biggest leap of all, but they were firmly ensconced in the upper echelons.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
Now they’re ensconced in Scotland, where he has been an architect and she an English teacher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026
Once they were securely ensconced at the Gryffindor table for dinner, however, he felt safe enough to tell them.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Loïc Gouzer, a former Christie’s rainmaker who created the app six years ago, said ensconcing Banksy inside a luxury jeweler nodded to the artist’s preference for high-low juxtapositions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
The branches dipped low, ensconcing me with the solace I needed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 7, 2026
Her children recalled her as wildly creative, toiling in an unheated attic and ensconcing herself in a collection of secondhand books that became so voluminous it eventually blocked the sunlight from entering her bedroom windows.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 21, 2020
Either way, the invincible aura ensconcing UW’s starting pitcher evaporated in the third inning.
From Seattle Times ● May 27, 2017
"Well, what do you think of me?" he said, ensconcing himself calmly on my divan.
From Ghosts I Have Met and Some Others by John Kendrick Bangs
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.
