# accompany

/əˈkəmpəni/ (US) · /ɐkˈʌmpəni/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/accompany
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to go with someone

verb · CEFR B1

to go somewhere with someone as a companion.

For teachers: to go with or attend as a companion or associate. Transitive; requires a direct object.

- Children under the age of twelve must be accompanied by an adult.
- The diplomat was accompanied by a small team of advisors during the high-level negotiations in Brussels.

### 2. to happen at the same time

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to happen or exist at the same time as something else.

For teachers: to occur in association with something else; to coexist or be found at the same time.

- The fever was accompanied by a bad cough and a headache.
- The rapid economic growth was accompanied by a significant increase in urban migration and infrastructure demand.

### 3. to play music for someone

verb · CEFR B2

to play a musical instrument while someone else sings or plays the main part.

For teachers: to perform an accompanying part or parts in a musical composition, providing harmonic or rhythmic support to a soloist.

- The famous singer was accompanied on the piano by her sister.
- The professor agreed to accompany the student on the harpsichord for his final recital performance.

## Examples

- The pianist will accompany the singer during the performance.
- A fever and a sore throat often accompany the common cold, making it difficult to swallow.
- While the soloist's performance was technically flawless, the subtle way the orchestra chose to accompany her provided the emotional depth that truly captivated the audience.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.