Illustration of compass
- compass 3a
compassed; compassing; compasses
1
: to devise or contrive often with craft or skill : plot
" … persons … who have compassed my destruction … "—
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens2
: encompass
a lake compassed by mountains
3
a
: bring about, achieve
… none can compass more than they intend …—Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
b
: to get into one's possession or power : obtain
He compassed a vast estate.
4
: comprehend
could not compass the seriousness of the problem
1
a
: boundary, circumference
within the compass of the city walls
b
: a circumscribed space
crammed into a narrow compass
2
: a curved or roundabout course
… a compass of seven days' journey …—2 Kings 3:9 (King James Version)
2 Kings 3:9 (King James Version)3
a
: a device for determining directions by means of a magnetic needle or group of needles turning freely on a pivot and pointing to the magnetic north
b
: any of various nonmagnetic devices that indicate direction
c
: an instrument for describing circles or transferring measurements that consists of two pointed branches joined at the top by a pivot
—usually used in plural
called also pair of compasses
4
: direction sense 6c
his moral compass
Synonyms
Examples of compass in a Sentence
Verb
attempting more than his modest abilities could compass
the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth
Noun
He always carries a compass when he walks in the woods.
His religion is the compass that guides him.
Interest rates serve as a compass for determining whether to buy or sell stocks.
The character in the movie had no moral compass to tell him that stealing was wrong.
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Recent Examples on the WebAlex Shephard, The New Republic, 13 June 2023
It could be argued that Ingram, not Williamson, is the barometer and compass for how the Pelicans' will navigate the sails of the regular season.
—Christopher Dodson, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2021
The other delegates ignored him, the Constitution was adopted, and Charles L’Enfant skulked onto the scene with his ruler and compass a few years later.
—Kevin Mahnken, The New Republic, 25 June 2020
It is based on the knowledge that no spoliator can compass his end without a certain degree of co-operation, willing or compulsory, of the victim.
—Tridip Suhrud, Time, 25 Sep. 2019
Lutfi began harassing Britney and those around her shortly after the performer checked into an all-compassing wellness treatment facility in April, the singer’s attorney said in the court documents.
—PEOPLE.com, 13 June 2019
True to their name, though, sun compasses only work in the sun.
—David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 4 Apr. 2018
Elisa Neckar, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2023
Her group had been honing their navigation skills, figuring out how to get from one place to another as quickly as possible with only a compass and points, all while avoiding ambushes and snakes.
—Jen Percy, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2023
Just be prepared to pour out any remaining liquid if you get lost; the flashlight and compass pieces also function as end caps.
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2023
Crockett said Republicans who want to pretend the impeachments never happened have lost their compass.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Dallas News, 31 July 2023
The teachers had set up weather-station equipment that a researcher might use, such as a compass and a barometer.
—Emma Green, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2023
Those courses cover firearm safety and outdoor skills like using a map and a compass.
—Amanda Gokee, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Aug. 2023
The way written words spin intricate tales, while the visual art serves as a compass, guiding readers through the landscapes and dimensions that dwell within the pages.
—Nick Kasmik, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2023
Carrying only a helmet, binoculars and a compass, the man had also tied five 25-liter (6.6 gallon) fuel tanks to the jet ski, the release added.
—Yoonjung Seo, CNN, 23 Aug. 2023
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Verb
At its best, McCarthy’s fiction could compass the strange and often violent order of existence.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 13 June 2023
It could be argued that Ingram, not Williamson, is the barometer and compass for how the Pelicans' will navigate the sails of the regular season.
—Christopher Dodson, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2021
The other delegates ignored him, the Constitution was adopted, and Charles L’Enfant skulked onto the scene with his ruler and compass a few years later.
—Kevin Mahnken, The New Republic, 25 June 2020
It is based on the knowledge that no spoliator can compass his end without a certain degree of co-operation, willing or compulsory, of the victim.
—Tridip Suhrud, Time, 25 Sep. 2019
Lutfi began harassing Britney and those around her shortly after the performer checked into an all-compassing wellness treatment facility in April, the singer’s attorney said in the court documents.
—PEOPLE.com, 13 June 2019
True to their name, though, sun compasses only work in the sun.
—David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 4 Apr. 2018
Noun
Ships on Lake Michigan were forced to navigate by compass through haze so dense their captains couldn’t see even at midday, and school had been cancelled because so many children were ill with hacking coughs.
—Elisa Neckar, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2023
Her group had been honing their navigation skills, figuring out how to get from one place to another as quickly as possible with only a compass and points, all while avoiding ambushes and snakes.
—Jen Percy, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2023
Just be prepared to pour out any remaining liquid if you get lost; the flashlight and compass pieces also function as end caps.
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2023
Crockett said Republicans who want to pretend the impeachments never happened have lost their compass.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Dallas News, 31 July 2023
The teachers had set up weather-station equipment that a researcher might use, such as a compass and a barometer.
—Emma Green, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2023
Those courses cover firearm safety and outdoor skills like using a map and a compass.
—Amanda Gokee, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Aug. 2023
The way written words spin intricate tales, while the visual art serves as a compass, guiding readers through the landscapes and dimensions that dwell within the pages.
—Nick Kasmik, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2023
Carrying only a helmet, binoculars and a compass, the man had also tied five 25-liter (6.6 gallon) fuel tanks to the jet ski, the release added.
—Yoonjung Seo, CNN, 23 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'compass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French cumpasser to measure, from Vulgar Latin *compassare to pace off, from Latin com- + passus pace
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
1523, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of compass was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing compass
Dictionary Entries Near compass
Cite this Entry
“Compass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compass. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
compass
1 of 2 verb
com·pass
ˈkəm-pəs 
also ˈkäm-
1
: to travel entirely around
compass the earth
2
compass
2 of 2 noun1
2
a
: a device for determining directions by means of a magnetic needle pointing to the magnetic north
b
: any of various other devices that indicate direction
3
: an instrument for drawing circles or transferring measurements that consists of two pointed branches joined at the top
—usually used in plural
More from Merriam-Webster on compass
Nglish: Translation of compass for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of compass for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about compass
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