encompass

verb

en·​com·​pass in-ˈkəm-pəs How to pronounce encompass (audio)
en-
also -ˈkäm-
encompassed; encompassing; encompasses
Synonyms of encompassnext

transitive verb

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
That success soon mushroomed into an empire encompassing toys, games, animations and all manner of consumer gewgaws.Charlie Campbell
2
a
: envelop
A thick fog encompassed the city.
b
: to form a circle about : enclose
a small village encompassed by mountains
c
obsolete : to travel completely around
3
dated : bring about, accomplish
… Jiu Jitsu, the … art of making an opponent use his strength to encompass his own defeat.TIME
encompassment
in-ˈkəm-pə-smənt How to pronounce encompass (audio)
en-
also -ˈkäm-
noun

Examples of encompass in a Sentence

The district encompasses most of the downtown area. a neighborhood encompassed by a highway
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The district encompasses some of the richest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, including Brentwood, Pacific Palisades and Playa Vista, but also has been plagued by homelessness issues and suffered the devastating and deadly Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes. Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 The futuristic-looking MBUX Hyperscreen is the dominant interior feature, encompassing the entire dashboard. James Raia, Mercury News, 1 May 2026 The new 7th District encompasses El Dorado Hills and Placerville to the north to Lodi and Linden to the south. Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026 However, public affairs programming also encompasses news talk radio, documentaries, panels, roundtables, public hearings, parliamentary broadcasts, public events, and podcasts. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for encompass

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Time Traveler
The first known use of encompass was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Encompass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encompass. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

encompass

verb
en·​com·​pass in-ˈkəm-pəs How to pronounce encompass (audio)
-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
encompassment noun

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