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.

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ensconce British  

/ ɪnˈskɒns /

verb

1. to establish or settle firmly or comfortably

   ensconced in a chair

2. to place in safety; hide

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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

The fee is so ensconced that many states have implemented a cap on it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 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

But through the legal process he spent as little time at court as possible, ensconced instead in the safety and privacy of his home.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2025

That initial visit lasted six months, during which Loomis ensconced himself at the elegant Claremont Hotel, located on a verdant hillside not far from campus.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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

Moreover, by bruising the Federals there he delayed them, getting ample time for ensconcing his army on the Rappahannock front for the winter.

From Beacon Lights of History, Volume 12 American Leaders by Lord, John

Related Words

• situate
• stash