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
The song co-produced by Lorde and Jim-E Stack — her main collaborator on the upcoming Virgin album due out on June 27 — builds from the alluring, subtle bass accompaniment to a noisy rumble as burbling keyboards and distant drums bubble up alongside cello from Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes.
—
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 29 May 2025
Patriotic tunes from the symphony, sometimes with vocal accompaniment, led up to Tchaikovsky’s overture, complete with blasting cannons, to usher in more blasts from a fireworks show that lit up the sky over the Liberty Memorial tower.
—Chris Ochsner, Kansas City Star, 26 May 2025
Featuring live piano accompaniment by Makia Matsumura.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
The superb libretto by Simon Robson (based on a scenario by Braham Murray) is a clever series of short flashbacks of Schoenberg’s life, with film accompaniment.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for accompaniment
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Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 29 May 2025
Patriotic tunes from the symphony, sometimes with vocal accompaniment, led up to Tchaikovsky’s overture, complete with blasting cannons, to usher in more blasts from a fireworks show that lit up the sky over the Liberty Memorial tower.
—Chris Ochsner, Kansas City Star, 26 May 2025
Featuring live piano accompaniment by Makia Matsumura.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
The superb libretto by Simon Robson (based on a scenario by Braham Murray) is a clever series of short flashbacks of Schoenberg’s life, with film accompaniment.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for accompaniment
Cite this Entry
“Accompaniment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accompaniment. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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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