encompass
verb
en·com·pass
in-ˈkəm-pəs 
en-
also -ˈkäm-
encompassed; encompassing; encompasses
1
: to include as a part of a whole or group
a plan that encompasses a number of aims
The ranch encompasses more than 2,500 acres of prime forest …—
Stuart D. Strahl
Stuart D. StrahlThat success soon mushroomed into an empire encompassing toys, games, animations and all manner of consumer gewgaws.—Charlie Campbell
Charlie Campbell2
3
dated
: bring about, accomplish
… Jiu Jitsu, the … art of making an opponent use his strength to encompass his own defeat.—TIME
TIMEExamples of encompass in a Sentence
The district encompasses most of the downtown area.
a neighborhood encompassed by a highway
Recent Examples on the Web
From evergreen staples from Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo to modern takes from Toteme and The Row (and even a few unexpected picks in bubblegum pink and firetruck red), their wishlist encompasses a lot of bridal styles; and, more importantly, a lot of bridal events.
—Vogue, 6 Mar. 2026
The bodies of the three women were found in multiple locations within Wayne County – which encompasses the popular tourist destination Torrey – on March 4, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS), which is aiding in the investigation.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Circumpolar stars Astronomers use a common set of reference points to project Earth’s north and south poles, and the equator, onto the celestial sphere, an imaginary sphere encompassing the sky.
—Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2026
Most homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies include personal property coverage at actual cash value (ACV), which encompasses the replacement cost minus depreciation.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encompass
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Vogue, 6 Mar. 2026
The bodies of the three women were found in multiple locations within Wayne County – which encompasses the popular tourist destination Torrey – on March 4, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS), which is aiding in the investigation.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Circumpolar stars Astronomers use a common set of reference points to project Earth’s north and south poles, and the equator, onto the celestial sphere, an imaginary sphere encompassing the sky.
—Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2026
Most homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies include personal property coverage at actual cash value (ACV), which encompasses the replacement cost minus depreciation.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encompass
Cite this Entry
“Encompass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encompass. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
encompass
verb
en·com·pass
in-ˈkəm-pəs
-ˈkäm-
1
: to form a circle about : surround
2
a
: to cover or surround especially so as to hide or protect
b
: to take in as a part : include
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