ensconce

American  

[en-skons] / ɛnˈskɒns /

verb (used with object)

ensconced, ensconcing

1. to settle securely or snugly.

   I found her in the library, ensconced in an armchair.

2. to cover or shelter; hide securely.

   He ensconced himself in the closet in order to eavesdrop.

---

ensconce British  

/ ɪnˈskɒns /

verb

1. to establish or settle firmly or comfortably

   ensconced in a chair

2. to place in safety; hide

---

Etymology

Origin of ensconce

First recorded in 1580–90; en- ¹ + sconce ²

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ensconce ensconced ensconcing

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

I’ll happily ensconce random electronics in my flesh, but they have to feel at least a little useful.

From The Verge ● Jul. 21, 2017

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 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

Even in the landscape of celebrity podcasts, there’s a presumption that celebrities can be more honest as they’re ensconced in a safe space with people just like them.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 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

The board's apparent belief that nothing is as bad as it seems and that fans need to understand how lucky they are gets them nowhere - only further ensconced in their own echo chamber.

From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2025

On a recent weekday, the country’s leading legal lexicographer was ensconced among the 4,500 some-odd dictionaries that fill his Dallas home, revising the entry for the adjective “calculated” ahead of Black’s 13th Edition.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2025

Ralph hesitated; it seemed to him that his head was ensconced in smoke too.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

William has doubled down on royal life, ensconcing his children in the privacy of the Windsor Estate with the aim of giving them as normal a life as possible.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 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

The longer, leaner Bcozzy lacks the plush, ensconcing neck support of the Travelrest Ultimate or Cabeau Evolution.

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2018

She called at Mrs. Callender's, and, again by a little persistence, succeeded in laying off her hat and sack and ensconcing herself as a volunteer nurse to Phillida.

From The Faith Doctor A Story of New York by Edward Eggleston

Related Words

• situate
• stash