compose

verb

com·pose | \ kəm-ˈpōz

composed; composing

Definition of compose

transitive verb

1a : to form by putting together : fashion a committee composed of three representatives — Current Biography

b : to form the substance of : constitute composed of many ingredients

c : to produce (columns, pages of type, etc.) by composition

2a : to create by mental or artistic labor : produce compose a sonnet

b(1) : to formulate and write (a piece of music) composed a symphony

(2) : to compose music for

3 : to deal with or act on so as to reduce to a minimum compose their differences

4 : to arrange in proper or orderly form The two men had laid him on the bed, and composed his limbs.— Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

5 : to free from agitation : calm, settle composed himself Life moves on, … and one must compose oneself to meet it …— Rose Macaulay

intransitive verb

: to practice composition (as of literary, musical, or typographical work) At the age of 10, he was composing at the piano.

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about compose

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of compose in a Sentence

She composed a letter to her sister. He is in his studio composing.

Recent Examples on the Web

The winner was determined by a vote of the entire PBWA, which is composed of more than 200 writers and editors who cover the NBA regularly for newspapers, magazines and online news outlets. — Joe Freeman, oregonlive.com, "Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard earns J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award from Professional Basketball Writers Association," 12 June 2019 Since the publication of Gray’s Anatomy in 1858 (then called Anatomy: Descriptive and Surgical), students have been taught that the mesentery is composed of several separate structures. — Claudia Kalb, National Geographic, "Why Leonardo da Vinci’s brilliance endures, 500 years after his death," 12 June 2019 This means you’ll be placed on an existing team or be part of a team composed entirely of free agents. — Sarah Kuta, The Know, "What you need to know about joining a rec league in Colorado," 10 June 2019 The world is composed of nations that, at the end of the day, are accountable only to themselves and to their people. — Matthew Continetti, National Review, "Trump’s Great D-Day Speech," 6 June 2019 These are the same materials found in human teeth; however, the sea creature’s denture is structured differently, composed of microscopic minerals arranged in a somewhat haphazard manner that scatters light. — Ephrat Livni, Quartz, "Predators with virtually invisible fangs prowl the deep sea," 6 June 2019 Taylor has also posed a letter-writing challenge to her fans, asking them to compose letters to their own state senators and then share them on social media. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Taylor Swift Asks Senator Lamar Alexander to Support Equality Act in Open Letter," 1 June 2019 The opera star would frequently host the likes of Bellini (composer of Norma), Donizetti (who is said to have composed Anna Bolena during his stay and wrote it specifically for Pasta), and Stendhal, the 19th century French writer. — Leena Kim, Town & Country, "5 Luxury Destinations for a Mother-Daughter Trip," 9 May 2019 Melanocytes are responsible for making pigment and are found deep in the skin, [and] squamous cells compose the upper layer of the skin and produce keratin. — Rebecca Dancer, Allure, "The American Cancer Society's Annual Report Reveals Melanoma Cases Continue to Rise," 5 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'compose.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.