Skip to main content
to consort

to consort

18 7.5
To spend time with people other people disapprove of
  • verb
  • /kənˈsɔrt/
  • Formal
translation icon : relacionarse con
  • More and more people are thinking that they shouldn't even consort with those 'others.'

Or what spirit have you invited in and consorted with such that it can possess you?

Examples

  • Our son cannot consort with such a girl.

  • I am accusing you of consorting with an enemy agent behind my back.

  • It's not the done thing for servants to consort with the guests.

  • The rest are perfectly delightful to consort with.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Consorting with the enemy king.

  • For this reason alone, Margaret consorted with them, sticking so close they could not hope to escape her.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • You may be inadvertently consorting with the enemy.

    Academic text (2010)
  • While you were consorting with those Irish peasants, the dinner hour has passed.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • It seems you've been consorting with outlaws.

  • Our son cannot consort with such a girl, because we disapprove of her background.

Synonyms

to associate
vsto consort
222 3.3

To spend time with a particular group of people

implies a negative view rather than neutral ongoing social contact
to partner
vsto consort
123 3.2

To join with someone to work on a business or other activity

implies frowned-on personal association rather than equal formal collaboration
to ally
vsto consort
45 3.6

To join with a person, group, or country for a common purpose

focuses on disapproved companionship rather than cooperative political or group support
to consort with
vsto consort
  • Formal
12 7.9

Spend time with people others may disapprove of

has identical sense but uses a different grammatical form
to affiliate
vsto consort
12 4.8

To spend time with a group and appear to belong to it

suggests disapproved personal company rather than formal group connection
to hobnob with
vsto consort
8 8.0

To spend time talking with important or powerful people

focuses on disapproved company rather than mixing for status

Antonyms

1.0

To stay away from something or not do it to stop something bad from happening

Phrasal Verbs

12 7.9

Spend time with people others may disapprove of

Compounds

1 7.8

The husband of a ruling queen who has the title prince not king

queen consort
  • Formal
6.4

A woman who is the wife of a king but does not rule

How Close

to consort
  • Formal
18 7.5
to associate
222 3.3
to socialize
  • US
68 2.8
to meet
1.0

Surface Forms

consort infinitive
consorted past
consorted past participle
consorting present participle
consorts third person singular

Etymology

Consort as a verb originally meant to 'keep company' from con- 'together' and sors 'fate', so to consort with someone is to spend time with them and it can sound negative when others disapprove of that company.