encompass
verb
en·com·pass
in-ˈkəm-pəs 
en-
also -ˈkäm-
encompassed; encompassing; encompasses
1
: to include as a part of a whole or group
a plan that encompasses a number of aims
The ranch encompasses more than 2,500 acres of prime forest …—
Stuart D. Strahl
Stuart D. StrahlThat success soon mushroomed into an empire encompassing toys, games, animations and all manner of consumer gewgaws.—Charlie Campbell
Charlie Campbell2
3
dated
: bring about, accomplish
… Jiu Jitsu, the … art of making an opponent use his strength to encompass his own defeat.—TIME
TIMEExamples of encompass in a Sentence
The district encompasses most of the downtown area.
a neighborhood encompassed by a highway
Recent Examples on the Web
That tally encompasses the costs leading up to the date, including transportation and grooming, as well as what’s actually spent during the date.
—Charlotte Morabito, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2026
Cromeens, district attorney for the 24th Judicial District, which encompasses six South Texas counties, was brought in as a special prosecutor.
—Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 23 Apr. 2026
The lot, which encompasses 6,000 square feet, additionally includes a pool.
—Unitedrobotsrealestate, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
The Justice Department published an initial batch of files within 30 days of the bill being signed, but that release did not encompass the full scope of material covered by the statute.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encompass
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Charlotte Morabito, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2026
Cromeens, district attorney for the 24th Judicial District, which encompasses six South Texas counties, was brought in as a special prosecutor.
—Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 23 Apr. 2026
The lot, which encompasses 6,000 square feet, additionally includes a pool.
—Unitedrobotsrealestate, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
The Justice Department published an initial batch of files within 30 days of the bill being signed, but that release did not encompass the full scope of material covered by the statute.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encompass
Cite this Entry
“Encompass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encompass. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
encompass
verb
en·com·pass
in-ˈkəm-pəs
-ˈkäm-
1
: to form a circle about : surround
2
a
: to cover or surround especially so as to hide or protect
b
: to take in as a part : include
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