comprise

verb

com·prise | \ kəm-ˈprīz

comprised; comprising

Definition of comprise

1 : to be made up of The factory was to be a vast installation, comprising fifty buildings.— Jane Jacobs The play comprises three acts.

2 : 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

3 : 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)

Synonyms Comprise vs. Compose: Usage Guide Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about comprise

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Comprise vs. Compose: Usage Guide

Although it has been in use since the late 18th century, sense 2 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 2 is somewhat more frequent in recent literary use than the earlier senses. You should be aware, however, that if you use sense 2 you may be subject to criticism for doing so, and you may want to choose a safer synonym such as compose or make up.

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.

Examples of comprise in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

One large bowl appears entirely comprised of rubble, its walls a thick, white, rocky crust, pocked with voids and graced with passages of glassy jade and violet. — Leah Ollman, latimes.com, "Gravel, glass and glaze: The radical ceramics of Masaomi Yasunaga," 5 July 2019 Purples, a swing group comprising 18% of the population, hold positions across the political spectrum. — Johanna Blakley, Quartzy, "Four TV shows that both liberals and conservatives love—and one they both hate," 5 July 2019 On June 28th two trading partners seized better access to each other’s markets as Mercosur, a customs union comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, agreed to a new trade deal with the European Union. — The Economist, "A new trade deal has FOMO as its secret sauce," 5 July 2019 More than 75% of your meal should comprise vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and protein sources should include beans, peas, nuts, seeds and soy. — The Conversation, "Confused about what to eat? Science can help," 5 July 2019 In the six-team senior division comprising high school players, the FSU squad coached by Yvonne Johnson improved to 9-0 with a 25-13, 25-6 victory over UF. — Emmett Hall, sun-sentinel.com, "FSU remains undefeated in Cooper City Crush summer beach volleyball league," 3 July 2019 The Texas Municipal Power Agency, a group comprising the cities of Bryan, Garland, Denton and Greenville, owns the plant. — Houston Chronicle, "Say goodbye to another Texas coal-fired power plant," 3 July 2019 The flat tax is on top of the current 17.5% lodging tax rate - comprised of a state lodging tax rate of 4%, Birmingham lodging tax rate at 6.5% and Jefferson county’s lodging tax rate at 7%, according to the Alabama Department of Revenue. — Hailey Auglair | Hauglair@al.com, al.com, "Birmingham City Council approves $3 lodging tax," 2 July 2019 The state’s insurance department says Social Security numbers and other personal data of almost 100,000 people may have been comprised over nearly a decade by a breach at a large vision and dental insurer. — USA TODAY, "Moon rocks, Misty of Chincoteague, Haiku Stairs: News from around our 50 states," 28 June 2019

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.