compile

verb

com·​pile kəm-ˈpī(-ə)l 

compiled; compiling

transitive verb

1

: to compose out of materials from other documents

compile a statistical chart

2

: to collect and edit into a volume

compile a book of poems

3

: to build up gradually

compiled a record of four wins and two losses

4

: to run (something, such as a program) through a compiler

Synonyms of compile

• collect

Examples of compile in a Sentence

He compiled a book of poems.

She compiled a list of names.

They took the best submissions and compiled them in a single issue of the magazine.

We compiled our findings in the report.

Recent Examples on the Web

The list takes months to compile, with multiple steps and checks designed to ensure the ranking is rigorous and consistent. — Kelli Grant, Cfp®,riley De León, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

That figure, compiled with data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel, has stayed entirely within the 15-to-17 percent range over the past 20 years. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026

According to documents compiled by the Death Penalty Information Center, both Tennessee and Texas have execution protocols that require syringes to be prepared with a 100 ml solution that contains 5 grams of pentobarbital. — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026

Data compiled by Bloomberg shows crude loadings fell from roughly 250,000 barrels per day in August to zero in September, marking the first such instance since the war began in February. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French compiler, from Latin compilare to plunder

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for compile

• argyle
• awhile
• beguile
• condyle
• defile
• erstwhile
• exile
• freestyle
• gentile
• hairstyle
• lifestyle
• meanwhile

Kids Definition

compile

verb

com·​pile kəm-ˈpīl 

compiled; compiling

1

: to collect into a volume or list

compile a book of poems

2

: to put together in a new form out of materials from other books or documents

compile a history of India

3

: to translate (as a computer program) with a compiler