usher

1 of 2

noun

ush·​er ˈə-shər 

1

a

: an officer or servant who has the care of the door of a court, hall, or chamber

b

: an officer who walks before a person of rank

c

: one who escorts persons to their seats (as in a theater)

2

archaic : an assistant teacher

usher

2 of 2

verb

ushered; ushering ˈə-sh(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to conduct to a place

2

: to precede as an usher, forerunner, or harbinger

3

: to cause to enter : introduce

a new theory ushered into the world

intransitive verb

: to serve as an usher

usher at a wedding

Synonyms of usher

Verb

• steer
• guide
• accompany
• lead

Examples of usher in a Sentence

Verb

He ushered them to their seats.

A nurse ushered us into the hospital room.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Eighth-grade drama students served as ushers at the April 11 event near downtown. —ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026

The setup was an undertaking, requiring around 75 part-time ushers to pitch in. —Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 21 Apr. 2026

Verb

Media members and a few influencers were ushered inside, taking a seat at a table right inside the door to await further instructions. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026

Video of the event shows the president being ushered off the stage a few seconds later, as armed guards wearing tactical gear and large rifles appeared on the dais. —Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 26 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ussher, from Anglo-French ussier, usscher, from Vulgar Latin *ustiarius doorkeeper, from Latin ostium, ustium door, mouth of a river — more at ostium

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1591, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing usher

• usher in

Rhymes for usher

• crusher
• gusher

Kids Definition

usher

1 of 2 noun

ush·​er ˈəsh-ər 

: a person who leads other persons to seats (as in a theater or at a wedding)

usher

2 of 2 verb

ushered; ushering ˈəsh-(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to lead to a place

2

: to cause to enter : introduce

usher in a new era