Pronunciation
BrE /əˈkʌmpəni/
AmE /əˈkʌmpəni/
Part of Speech
Verb (transitive)
Frequency Level
B2
Register
Neutral
Definition
To go somewhere with someone, or to exist or occur together with something else.
Extended Meaning
Accompany refers to moving together with someone, offering company or support, or pairing one action or object with another. It can describe physically going with a person, musically supporting a singer or instrument, or conceptually appearing together with a condition, effect, or event. The verb is widely used in travel, music, healthcare, formal writing, and descriptive analysis. It emphasizes presence, support, or association.
Detailed Explanation
In social and physical contexts, accompany means going somewhere with another person, either to provide support, assistance, or companionship. This may involve accompanying a friend to an appointment, accompanying a child on a trip, or accompanying guests to a venue. The verb conveys presence and often responsibility.
In musical contexts, accompany refers to playing an instrument alongside another performer. A pianist may accompany a singer, a guitarist may accompany a choir, or a string section may accompany a soloist. Here, the verb highlights musical support and collaboration.
In descriptive, academic, or informational contexts, accompany means that two events, features, conditions, or effects occur together. A symptom may accompany a disease, a smell may accompany a dish, or economic changes may accompany political shifts. This sense appears in scientific, analytical, and journalistic writing.
Across all uses, the core meaning involves being present together—physically, musically, or conceptually.
Word Family
accompany (verb) — to go with or exist alongside.
accompaniment (noun) — something that goes with or supports something else.
accompanist (noun) — a musician who plays to support another performer.
accompanying (adjective) — appearing or provided together.
Semantic Field
accompany vs. join — join means becoming part of a group; accompany means going with someone.
accompany vs. escort — escort suggests protection or formality; accompany is neutral.
accompany vs. attend — attend means to be present; accompany means to go with.
accompany vs. follow — follow comes behind; accompany moves together.
accompany vs. supplement — supplement adds extra value; accompany co-exists.
Example Sentences
She asked her friend to accompany her to the hospital.
A pianist will accompany the singer during the performance.
Fever often accompanies severe infections.
He accompanied the guests to the main hall.
Several symptoms accompanied the illness.
The dish is usually accompanied by rice.
His speech was accompanied by applause.
She accompanied the children on their field trip.
The report is accompanied by detailed charts.
Warm weather is often accompanied by high humidity.
Dialogues
“Can you go with me?”
“Of course, I’ll accompany you.”
“Who will play for the singer?”
“A pianist will accompany her.”
“Does this symptom appear alone?”
“No, it’s accompanied by headaches.”
“Will you walk them inside?”
“Yes, I’ll accompany them.”
“Is the report complete?”
“Yes, it’s accompanied by graphs.”
“Did he go alone?”
“No, she accompanied him.”
“What comes with the dish?”
“It’s accompanied by vegetables.”
“Can you attend the meeting?”
“Yes, I’ll accompany my manager.”
“Was she nervous?”
“A little, but her friend accompanied her.”
“Does this effect happen alone?”
“No, it accompanies the main change.”
Stories
- Mia had her first day at a new school. Her mother accompanied her to the classroom. The teacher welcomed them warmly. Mia felt more confident. Having someone with her made the morning easier.
- The choir prepared for their concert. A guitarist accompanied them during practice. His steady rhythm helped everyone stay together. The sound improved noticeably. The group felt ready for the performance.
- Tim visited a large museum and felt overwhelmed. A guide accompanied him through the exhibitions. She explained the artwork clearly. With her support, Tim enjoyed the visit more. He learned much more than he expected.
- During dinner, the main course was accompanied by a fresh salad. The combination tasted perfect. The family enjoyed the meal. Everyone agreed the simple accompaniment made a big difference.
- The weather changed suddenly. Strong winds accompanied the heavy rain. People rushed inside. The storm passed after an hour. The sky slowly cleared.
Common Collocations
accompany someone — go with a person.
Example: A nurse accompanied him to the room.*
accompany something — appear together with something.
Example: High temperatures accompanied the storm.*
be accompanied by — occur together with another element.
Example: The dish is accompanied by bread.*
accompany a performance — provide musical support.
Example: The pianist will accompany the soloist.*
accompanied symptoms — symptoms appearing together.
Example: The cough was accompanied by fever.*
accompany a report — include supportive documents.
Example: The proposal was accompanied by charts.*
accompany visitors — guide or assist guests.
Example: She accompanied visitors through the gallery.*
accompany changes — occur alongside adjustments.
Example: Growth is often accompanied by challenges.*
accompany a meal — served together with food.
Example: The stew is accompanied by rice.*
formally accompanied — escorted officially.
Example: The ambassador was formally accompanied.*
Syntactic Patterns
accompany + person — She accompanied her friend.
accompany + object/idea — Noise accompanied the festival.
be accompanied by + noun — The soreness was accompanied by swelling.
accompany someone to + place — He accompanied her to the station.
accompany with + noun (less common) — The meal was accompanied with salad.
accompany in + activity — He accompanied her in singing.
accompany text/data — Charts accompany the report.
Colligation
Frequently used with passive voice: was accompanied by.
Appears with nouns of emotion, effect, or result: pain, noise, applause, symptoms.
Common in scientific descriptions: accompanied by fever, accompanied by changes.
Used with musical verbs: play, perform, sing.
Pairs with travel or support contexts: guide, escort, assist.
Usage Notes
Learners must avoid confusing accompany with accommodate—a frequent mistake. Accompany always involves going together or appearing together. In formal writing, “be accompanied by” is especially common for describing related facts or events. In music, the verb is technical and refers specifically to playing a supporting part. Tone shifts from casual to formal depending on context.
Cultural and Historical Notes
Historically, accompany was tied to social etiquette, where individuals were expected to accompany others for safety or propriety. Over time, the word expanded into music, science, medicine, and formal documentation. Modern use reflects the importance of support—physical, emotional, artistic, or informational—in both personal and professional environments.
Idioms and Fixed Expressions
be accompanied by — appear together with something.
accompany someone on a trip — travel together.
accompany on piano/guitar — musically support.
accompany an event — occur alongside an event.
accompany with care — join or support responsibly.
Pronunciation Notes
Stress falls on the second syllable: ə-KOM-pə-nee.
Avoid saying “a-COMP-any”—keep the middle syllable light.
The final “-ny” is pronounced /ni/, not /naɪ/.
Learners often mispronounce the initial schwa—keep it soft.
Do not confuse it with “company.”
Typical Errors
Incorrect: He accompany her. → Correct: He accompanied her.
Incorrect: She was accompany by her friend. → Correct: She was accompanied by her friend.
Incorrect: I will accompany with you. → Correct: I will accompany you.
Incorrect: The sauce accompany the meat. → Correct: The sauce accompanies the meat.
Incorrect: Pain is accompany swelling. → Correct: Pain is accompanied by swelling.
Learner’s Checklist
Use it to mean “go with” or “appear together.”
In music, it means “support a performer.”
Use passive form for descriptions: be accompanied by.
Do not add “with” unless in specific structures.
Watch spelling: double “c,” one “m.”
Morphological Notes
From Latin accompagnare (“to go with”), later adopted from Old French.
Related to company but diverged in meaning.
Modern use maintains the idea of “being with” or “occurring together.”
Mini Test
Fill in: The singer was ___ by a pianist.
True/False: “Accompany” can describe two things that occur together.
Correct the error: He was accompany by loud music.
Choose: The dish is (accompanied / accompanied by) vegetables.
Fill in: She accompanied him ___ the appointment.
Advanced Test
Rewrite using accompany:
“She went with him to the interview.”
Choose the clearer statement:
“The fever came too.” / “The fever accompanied the cough.”
Explain the difference:
accompany vs. escort.
Create a sentence using be accompanied by.
Correct and improve:
The charts accompany with the report.
Usage Scenarios
Travel and Social Support
She accompanied her grandmother to the clinic.
Music and Performance
The violinist accompanied the choir.
Medical and Scientific Description
The pain was accompanied by dizziness.
Food and Hospitality
The dish is accompanied by fresh bread.
Formal Documents and Reports
The proposal is accompanied by financial data.
Conclusion
The verb accompany helps you express presence, support, and connection—whether one person goes with another, one event occurs alongside another, or one sound or action complements something else. It provides precise language for describing movement, partnership, and association in everyday, academic, and professional contexts.
For learners, mastering accompany strengthens your ability to speak about assistance, musical collaboration, descriptive analysis, and social interaction. It helps distinguish between simple presence and supportive involvement, giving you clearer ways to describe how things or people relate to one another. This makes your communication more precise and more nuanced.
To use the word effectively, focus on choosing the right structure—especially accompany someone and be accompanied by something. Pair it with verbs or nouns that highlight movement, support, or connection. The more confidently you use accompany, the more naturally you will be able to describe cooperation, coexistence, and events that unfold together.