in tow

phrase

1
: accompanying or following usually as an attending or dependent party
not easy shopping with kids in tow
2
: under guidance or protection
taken in tow by a friendly native

Examples of in tow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Parents checking into a hotel with little ones in tow may think to wipe down the TV remote first, but research and inspector practices point to a few other surfaces worth a quick look at check-in. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 Whatever is next to come, with now both an Airwrap and hit album in tow, Day’s next moves are sure to look and sound fabulous. — Katie Bain, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026 What are the rules for going shopping, wine tasting or barhopping with kids in tow? — Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026 The residents became the kind of friends who moved easily between one another’s houses, watched one another’s children grow up, and even traveled together—a group of 17 once decamped to Greece with the kids in tow. — Kristen Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for in tow

Word History

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of in tow was in 1722

Rhymes for in tow

See All Rhymes for in tow

Browse Nearby Words

in touch
in tow
intower
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In tow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20tow. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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