Meaning & use
accompany
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
To go somewhere with someone or stay with them as a companion.
Grammar: Takes an object: accompany a friend; do not say accompany to someone.
Patterns
- accompany someone
- accompany someone to somewhere
- accompany someone on a trip
My sister accompanied me to the dentist.
The guide accompanied the visitors through the old town.
She asked her neighbor to accompany her on the evening train.
verbtransitive
To happen or exist at the same time as something else.
Grammar: Often used in the passive be accompanied by; the thing that comes with it is the subject.
Patterns
- be accompanied by something
- accompany something
The storm was accompanied by heavy rain.
A full explanation accompanies each form.
The announcement accompanied a fall in prices.
verbtransitivemusic
To play music that supports a singer or instrumental soloist.
Grammar: Takes an object for the performer; often followed by on plus an instrument.
Patterns
- accompany a singer
- accompany someone on the piano
- accompany a choir
He accompanied the singer on guitar.
The pianist accompanied the school choir at the concert.
She has accompanied many solo violinists.
Word forms
| third person singular | accompanies |
|---|---|
| past tense | accompanied |
| past participle | accompanied |
| -ing form | accompanying |
Common combinations
- accompany someone home
- A colleague accompanied her home after the late meeting.
- accompany a friend to an appointment
- I accompanied a friend to her doctor's appointment.
- be accompanied by rain
- The cold front was accompanied by rain overnight.
- accompany a singer on piano
- The teacher accompanied each singer on piano.
Synonyms and how they differ
- escort
- Escort often suggests guiding or protecting someone on a journey, while accompany is broader and more neutral.
- attend
- Attend can mean go with someone, but it more commonly means be present at an event or give care.
- go with
- Go with is informal and general; accompany is more formal and often written.
Opposites
Word family
- accompaniment noun
- Something that goes with or supports something else, especially music played with a singer.
- accompanist noun
- A musician who plays the supporting part for a singer or soloist.
Commonly confused: accompany or accomplish?
accompany vs accomplish
Accomplish means achieve or complete something; accompany means go with someone or occur together with something.
Practice
Choose the best sentence.
Choose one answer.
Accompany is transitive and takes the person as its object: accompany someone. The other options use impossible prepositions after the verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “accompany”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.