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
There also is a café as well as a research library open to the team, guests and collaborators which features publications encompassing design, architecture, literature and the arts.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025
Along with the bedroom and a bathroom with dual facilities, the primary suite encompasses all of the top floor and includes a lofted gym, a couple of balconies, and an office pod that hovers over the wet bar in the cavernous double-height living room below.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 11 Nov. 2025
The Odesa region -- which borders Romania to the west and encompasses Ukraine's Danube River ports -- was among the main targets of Monday night's barrage, the air force said.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 11 Nov. 2025
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the average tropical cyclone, a category that encompasses hurricanes and tropical storms, causes twenty-four deaths; most of them tend to be due to drownings or physical trauma.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encompass
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025
Along with the bedroom and a bathroom with dual facilities, the primary suite encompasses all of the top floor and includes a lofted gym, a couple of balconies, and an office pod that hovers over the wet bar in the cavernous double-height living room below.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 11 Nov. 2025
The Odesa region -- which borders Romania to the west and encompasses Ukraine's Danube River ports -- was among the main targets of Monday night's barrage, the air force said.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 11 Nov. 2025
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the average tropical cyclone, a category that encompasses hurricanes and tropical storms, causes twenty-four deaths; most of them tend to be due to drownings or physical trauma.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encompass
Cite this Entry
“Encompass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encompass. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share