# usher

/ˈəʃɝ/ (US) · /ˈʌʃɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/usher
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. seating assistant

noun · CEFR B2

a person whose job is to show people to their seats in a theatre, cinema, or church.

For teachers: an official or employee who escorts patrons to their assigned seats in a public venue such as a theatre, stadium, or place of worship.

- The usher checked our tickets and showed us to our seats in the front row.
- The theatre usher moved quietly through the darkened aisles, using a small torch to guide latecomers to their reserved rows without disturbing the performance.

### 2. wedding attendant

noun · CEFR B2

a person, usually a man, who helps guests find their seats at a wedding.

For teachers: a member of the wedding party responsible for greeting guests and escorting them to their seats before the ceremony.

- My brother served as an usher at the wedding and handed out the programmes.
- The ushers were instructed to seat the bride's family on the left side of the aisle and the groom's on the right.

### 3. to escort

verb · CEFR B2

to lead or guide someone somewhere.

For teachers: to escort or conduct someone in a formal or official manner. Transitive — always takes a direct object.

- The secretary ushered the visitors into the manager's office.
- Security personnel ushered the diplomat through the side entrance to avoid the crowd of reporters gathered at the front of the building.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'into' or 'to'.

### 4. to start a new era

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to signal or cause the start of something new and important.

For teachers: to mark the beginning of a new period, style, or era. Usually used in the phrasal form 'usher in'.

- The invention of the internet ushered in a new age of communication.
- The signing of the treaty was expected to usher in a period of unprecedented economic cooperation between the two former rivals.

Usage: Almost always used with the particle 'in' as 'usher in'.

## Examples

- The usher showed us to our seats in the front row.
- At the wedding, the groom's brother acted as an usher, handing out programs and guiding guests to the correct pews.
- The theater employs several ushers to manage the flow of the crowd and ensure that patrons find their correct seats before the performance begins.

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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.