accompany

accompany — verb

1. to move from one place to another together with another person, often as a frien

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to move from one place to another together with another person, often as a friend, helper, or guard.

Example

Mrs Lin asked her son Kai to accompany her to the hospital on Friday morning.

accompany + somebody + to [place]

Two security guards accompanied the singer from the stage door to her car.

passive context: be accompanied by [person]

Common collocations
  • accompany someone home
  • accompany someone to the door
  • accompany a child
Synonyms
  • escort

    stronger sense of guarding or formally guiding someone

  • go with

    everyday equivalent; less formal

Antonyms
  • leave

    opposite action — going apart instead of together

Grammar Patterns

accompany + somebody

accompany + somebody + to a place

Usage Note

More formal than 'go with'. Frequently appears in passive form ('be accompanied by …'), especially in rules and notices.

Common Mistakes

I accompanied with my sister to the airport.
I accompanied my sister to the airport.
'accompany' takes a direct object, no preposition before the person.

2. if one thing accompanies another, the two appear, happen, or are present togethe

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

if one thing accompanies another, the two appear, happen, or are present together, often because one is added to or comes from the other.

Example

Heavy rain was accompanied by strong winds across most of southern Taiwan.

passive: X is accompanied by Y (one event with another)

A short summary should accompany every report you submit to the manager.

Y accompanies X (formal instruction)

Common collocations
  • be accompanied by symptoms
  • accompanied by rain
  • accompanied by a letter
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

X is accompanied by Y

Y accompanies X

Usage Note

Subject and object are usually things or events, not people. Very common in news, science, and academic writing, especially in the passive 'X was accompanied by Y'.

Common Mistakes

The fever was accompanied with a headache.
The fever was accompanied by a headache.
use 'by', not 'with', to introduce the accompanying thing.

3. to walk with someone in order to point out the right path to a place, especially

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to walk with someone in order to point out the right path to a place, especially when they do not know the way.

Example

The hotel porter accompanied the tired couple to their room on the fourth floor.

accompany + somebody + to [room/place]

A young nurse accompanied Mr Hsu to the X-ray room at the end of the corridor.

Common collocations
  • accompany someone to a room
  • accompany a guest
  • accompany a visitor
Synonyms
  • show

    as in 'show someone to a room' — same idea, more everyday

  • lead

    stresses going in front and guiding

Grammar Patterns

accompany + somebody + to [place]

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is on showing the route to someone unfamiliar with it, not on travelling together as companions.

4. to go together with someone to a party, dinner, concert, or similar event, usual

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to go together with someone to a party, dinner, concert, or similar event, usually as their partner or guest for the evening.

Example

Helen asked her older brother to accompany her to the company dinner on Saturday night.

accompany + somebody + to [social event]

The young diplomat accompanied the ambassador to a charity concert in central London.

Common collocations
  • accompany someone to a party
  • accompany someone to dinner
  • accompany someone to the theatre
Synonyms
  • take

    as in 'take someone to a party'; more neutral

  • escort

    more formal; common in news and society contexts

Grammar Patterns

accompany + somebody + to [event]

Usage Note

Often carries a polite or slightly old-fashioned tone, especially in invitations. The object is a person, and the destination is a social or cultural event.

Common Mistakes

He accompanied with his wife to the party.
He accompanied his wife to the party.
no preposition between 'accompanied' and the person.

5. to play a musical instrument while a singer or main player performs, so that the

5.verbtransitive / intransitiveC1
Definition

to play a musical instrument while a singer or main player performs, so that the two sounds fit together and support the main part.

Example

Her older sister accompanied the choir on the piano during the school's winter concert.

accompany + somebody + on [instrument]

A young guitar player accompanied the singer in a quiet corner of the cafe.

Common collocations
  • accompany someone on the piano
  • accompany a singer
  • accompany a choir
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

accompany + somebody (on [instrument])

accompany + somebody + on the piano

Usage Note

Subject is the supporting musician; object is the lead singer or player. The instrument follows 'on' (on the piano, on the guitar).

Common Mistakes

She accompanied the singer with the piano.
She accompanied the singer on the piano.
use 'on' for the instrument used to accompany.

Word family

  • accompaniment
    nounC1
  • accompanist
    nounC2
  • unaccompanied
    adjectiveC1
  • accompanying
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four describe travelling together with someone, but they differ in tone and purpose. 'Go with' is the everyday choice and works in any setting: 'I'll go with you to the bank.' 'Accompany' is noticeably more formal and shows up in rules, news reports, and polite speech: 'Children must be accompanied by an adult.' 'Escort' adds a sense of guarding or officially guiding — police escort a suspect, a guide escorts visitors; it sounds heavier and more controlled. 'See' (as in 'see someone home' or 'see them to the door') is warm and personal, suggesting kindness or care rather than duty: 'Let me see you to the bus stop.' Pick by register: friendly chat takes 'go with' or 'see'; signs, contracts, and formal writing prefer 'accompany'; security or official contexts call for 'escort'.

accompany ↗escort ↗go with ↗see ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • be accompanied by
  • accompany someone home
  • accompany someone to the door

Prepositions

  • by (in passive: be accompanied by)
  • to (a place or event)
  • on (an instrument)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The verb came into English in the late 1400s from Old French 'acompaignier', built on 'compaignon' meaning 'companion' — literally someone you share bread with (Latin 'com-' 'together' + 'panis' 'bread'). The early sense was simply 'to keep company with', and from that the modern meanings — travelling together, things happening together, and playing music together — all developed.