comprise

play

verb com·prise \ kəm-ˈprīz \

Definition of comprise

comprised; comprising

transitive verb

1 :to include especially within a particular scope

… civilization as Lenin used the term would then certainly have comprised the changes that are now associated in our minds with "developed" rather than "developing" states.
—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

2 :to be made up of

The factory was to be a vast installation, comprising fifty buildings.
—Jane Jacobs

The play comprises three acts.

3 :compose, constitute

… a misconception as to what comprises a literary generation.
—William Styron

… about 8 percent of our military forces are comprised of women.
—Jimmy Carter

See comprise defined for English-language learners

See comprise defined for kids

comprise was our Word of the Day on 11/10/2013. Hear the podcast!

comprise vs. compose

Although it has been in use since the late 18th century, sense 3 is still attacked as wrong. Why it has been singled out is not clear, but until comparatively recent times it was found chiefly in scientific or technical writing rather than belles lettres. Our current evidence shows a slight shift in usage: sense 3 is somewhat more frequent in recent literary use than the earlier senses. You should be aware, however, that if you use sense 3 you may be subject to criticism for doing so, and you may want to choose a safer synonym such as compose or make up.

Examples of comprise in a Sentence

Each army division comprised 4,500 troops.
The play comprises three acts.

Recent Examples of comprise from the Web

In a large bowl, combine pimentos, cheddar cheese, beer, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper until comprised.

— nancy miller, The Courier-Journal, "Pimento beer cheese recipe | Doc Crow's," 18 July 2017
Total issuance in Africa in 2016 was $1.3bn, comprising issues from Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo.

— The Economist, "Islamic banking in AfricaAfrica is Islamic banking’s new frontier," 13 July 2017
The total annexation area comprises about 200 acres.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "Havre de Grace votes to allow waterfowl hunting to continue," 6 July 2017
Comprised of 45,549 acres, the Duchy of Lancaster generates around $20 million a year and is used to cover the costs the Sovereign Grant does not — namely, those of the Queen's family.

— sarah schreiber, House Beautiful, "Here Is Every Royal's Reported Net Worth," 29 June 2017
According to a recent report from the Center for American Progress, women comprise nearly 51 percent of the U.S. population, but have been historically under-represented in electoral politics.

— donna owens, Essence.com, "It's Time To Honor New Women Of Color In Congress While Pushing For More," 29 June 2017
There's plenty yet for Farina and the rest of the club, which is comprised primarily of college players, to play for.

— brett christie, chicagotribune.com, "Local collegiate players showcase soccer skills for Chicago FC United," 29 June 2017
Several deadlines have passed, with only one other bidder comprised of a former local politician and a federation of labor unions.

— vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, "Trump’s White House Shuts Out the Press," 27 June 2017
Both Sydni and Niah placed eighth in their events, the 400-meter, and the 100-meter, respectively, and the girls 4x200-meter relay, comprised of Sydni, Niah, Leah and Nakyah, placed sixth.

— provided/nancy berlier, Cincinnati.com, "Summit Country Day wraps up spectacular spring season," 27 June 2017

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

Did You Know?

Comprise has undergone a substantial shift in usage since first appearing in English in the 15th century. For many years usage commentators insisted that the usage of comprise meaning "to be made up of" (as shown in our first example) was correct and comprise meaning "to make up," as in our second example and in phrases like "the players who comprise the team," was not. (This disputed use is often used in passive constructions such as, "The album is comprised of ten classic songs.") Until relatively recently, this less-favored sense appeared mostly in scientific writing, but current evidence shows that it is now somewhat more common in general use than the word's other meanings.