accompaniment
noun
ac·com·pa·ni·ment
ə-ˈkəm-pə-nē-mənt 
-ˈkəmp-nē-
1
music
: an instrumental or vocal part designed to support or complement a melody
sang the song with a piano accompaniment
2
a
: an addition (such as an ornament) intended to give completeness or symmetry to something : complement
a tie that's a nice accompaniment to his new suit
b
: an accompanying situation or occurrence : concomitant
studied Italian as an accompaniment to her art history class
Examples of accompaniment in a Sentence
She sings without musical accompaniment.
A nice tie was a fine accompaniment to his new suit.
This dish can be served as an accompaniment to most meat main dishes.
This wine is a good accompaniment for spicy foods.
She studied Italian as an accompaniment to her classes in art history.
Recent Examples on the Web
Classic wing accompaniments like celery, carrot sticks, ranch, and blue cheese are always welcome on the side.
—
Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Feel free to switch out the black beans for kidney or pinto beans, and don’t forget all the accompaniments.
—Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
Ginnifer Goodwin also wore a pixie-sized version of the trend for the night by Clayton Hawkins, a perfect accompaniment to her short hair.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
Faith groups, veterans, and ordinary citizens have organized to support their neighbors through documentation and accompaniment.
—Binaifer Nowrojee, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for accompaniment
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Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Feel free to switch out the black beans for kidney or pinto beans, and don’t forget all the accompaniments.
—Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
Ginnifer Goodwin also wore a pixie-sized version of the trend for the night by Clayton Hawkins, a perfect accompaniment to her short hair.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
Faith groups, veterans, and ordinary citizens have organized to support their neighbors through documentation and accompaniment.
—Binaifer Nowrojee, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for accompaniment
Cite this Entry
“Accompaniment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accompaniment. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
accompaniment
noun
ac·com·pa·ni·ment
ə-ˈkəmp-(ə-)nē-mənt
1
: music played along with a solo part to enrich it
2
: an accompanying object, situation, or event
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