compile
verb
com·pile
kəm-ˈpī(-ə)l 
compiled; compiling
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
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 story summaries above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in the Miami Herald newsroom.
—
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
To try and get at a more global estimate, Stohl and his team compiled 2,782 measurements collected at 283 locations worldwide.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Jan. 2026
The Office of Management and Budget, directed by Russell Vought, has ordered nearly all federal agencies to compile a detailed report of how much funding each one provides to a list of blue states, according to documents reviewed by CBS News.
—Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
The list was compiled as an all-time ranking of Cajun restaurants by Yelp Elites, based on factors such as total volume and ratings of reviews for restaurants listed in the Cajun category.
—Eddie Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compile
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Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
To try and get at a more global estimate, Stohl and his team compiled 2,782 measurements collected at 283 locations worldwide.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Jan. 2026
The Office of Management and Budget, directed by Russell Vought, has ordered nearly all federal agencies to compile a detailed report of how much funding each one provides to a list of blue states, according to documents reviewed by CBS News.
—Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
The list was compiled as an all-time ranking of Cajun restaurants by Yelp Elites, based on factors such as total volume and ratings of reviews for restaurants listed in the Cajun category.
—Eddie Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compile
Cite this Entry
“Compile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compile. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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