in tow

Idioms  

1. In one's charge or close guidance; along with one. For example, The older girl took the new student in tow, or Peter always had his family in tow. This expression alludes to the literal meaning of being pulled along. [Early 1700s]

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Example Sentences

Joining a civil defence convoy, he reached Sidon at 5:00 am, a small bag in tow.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

Strikingly, the new American migrant is more likely than ever to bring children in tow, relocation companies and realtors say, laying down roots and raising a set of Americans feeding into foreign colleges.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

I would read her texts and reply from Barnsdall, with a book recommendation of hers in tow, the note card of painted berries as its bookmark, or from the beach.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

Indigenous peoples in South America had been popping corn for millennia, but it didn’t reach the U.S. until the 19th century, when whalers returned from South America with the whole grain in tow.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Finding shelter was the best bet, but there were too many people trying to do the same thing and joining the chaos with Darnell in tow would only get them trampled.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner