usher

usher — verb

1. to politely take or direct a person to a particular place, often by walking with

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to politely take or direct a person to a particular place, often by walking with them or pointing the way.

Example

Mayumi ushered the late guests to their seats just as the ceremony began.

usher + object + to + destination

The nurse ushered Bilal and his family into the doctor's private office.

usher + object + into + room

Common collocations
  • usher someone into
  • usher someone out of
  • usher someone to
  • usher someone past
  • be ushered into
Synonyms
  • escort

    can imply protection or supervision; stronger sense of accompanying than guiding

  • guide

    broader; can be informational without physical movement

  • lead

    more direct; implies going ahead of the person

  • conduct

    very formal; often used in official settings

Grammar Patterns

usher + object + to/into/out of + location

Usage Note

Always takes a prepositional phrase indicating destination — the verb is not used with just a direct object (*usher someone ≠ usher someone to a place). The passive form is very common in formal and institutional contexts.

Common Mistakes

The waiter ushered us a table.
The waiter ushered us to a table.
'usher' always needs a prepositional phrase showing where the person is taken; you cannot place a location as a direct object.
Phrasal verbs

usher in

phrasal verb

to mark or signal the beginning of a new period, development, or way of doing things — for instance, a new discovery or technology that starts an era of change.

The invention of the smartphone ushered in a new era of instant communication.

Many historians believe the internet ushered in changes as profound as the Industrial Revolution.

usher — noun

Word family

  • usherette
    nounC1
  • ushering
    nounC1
  • ushering
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words involve taking someone somewhere, but each has a distinct feel. 'Escort' often implies protective or supervisory accompaniment — a police officer escorts a VIP, but a waiter does not. 'Guide' is broader and can be purely informational (guide a visitor through a museum). 'Lead' is more forceful and suggests going in front (lead a child by the hand). 'Conduct' is formal and implies ceremony (conduct a tour). 'Usher' falls between them: it is polite and directional, often used for seating guests or directing people in institutional settings. For example, you would usher a guest to a table but escort a witness into a courtroom and lead a hiking group up a trail.

escort ↗guide ↗leadconduct ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • to one's seat
  • into the room
  • out of the building

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Comes from Old French 'ussier' (modern French 'huissier'), meaning 'doorkeeper', which traces back to Latin 'ostiarius', from 'ostium' meaning 'door'. The noun originally referred to a person who guarded or opened doors; the verb meaning 'to guide someone to a place' developed later from that role.