Jane JacobsWilliam StyronThomas GaseNote: Despite strong and continued objections to it, this meaning of comprise is now more frequent in general use than its earlier meaning. It is particularly common in the construction "to be comprised of," as in "The debate team is comprised of five members."
Herman Melville
Comprise vs. Compose: Usage Guide
Although it has been in use since the late 18th century, sense 2 is still attacked as wrong. Why it has been singled out is not clear, but until comparatively recent times it was found chiefly in scientific or technical writing rather than belles lettres. Our current evidence shows a slight shift in usage: sense 2 is somewhat more frequent in recent literary use than the earlier senses. You should be aware, however, that if you use sense 2 you may be subject to criticism for doing so, and you may want to choose a safer synonym such as compose or make up.
Did you know?
The earliest meaning of comprise, "to be made up of" (as in "a team comprising nine players"), is sometimes regarded as the word's only correct use. However, this grammatical prescription denies a well-established sense of the word: "to compose or constitute" (as in "the nine players who comprise the team"). Until relatively recently, this sense appeared mostly in scientific writing, but current evidence shows that it is now somewhat more common in general use than the word's other meanings. You might be most familiar with this disputed use in the passive construction, "to be comprised of" (as in "a team comprised of nine players"). Apologies to the haters: a single sense simply can’t comprise comprise.
Examples of comprise in a Sentence
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
Platt highlighted that the new agreement comprises two parts – the first involving $12 billion of compute, where Nebius will be providing Meta with Vera Rubin systems in 2027; and a second part that allows Meta to purchase additional compute capacity of up to $15 billion.
—Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 5 Apr. 2026
The continent comprises 54 countries, each with its own regulatory environment, currency, and infrastructure.
—Lexi Novitske, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026
The pastor says the online audience typically comprises Farsi speakers from roughly a dozen countries including Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comprise
Cite this Entry
“Comprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comprise. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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comprise
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