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
Monrovia notes that desire to unplug and plant encompasses growing our own food, too.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2026
The original lease, which last year was extended to 2049, encompassed four acres of waterfront land and called for two restaurants to be built there by the end of 2008.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
The line that seems to be encompassing people’s feelings about the finale comes from Max in one of her final scenes in the series, as the final D&D campaign comes to a close.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 7 Jan. 2026
Large studies encompassing thousands of people have since shown that following the MIND diet corresponds with better cognitive functioning, a lower risk of dementia and slower disease progression in people with Alzheimer’s.
—Dana G. Smith, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encompass
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Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2026
The original lease, which last year was extended to 2049, encompassed four acres of waterfront land and called for two restaurants to be built there by the end of 2008.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
The line that seems to be encompassing people’s feelings about the finale comes from Max in one of her final scenes in the series, as the final D&D campaign comes to a close.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 7 Jan. 2026
Large studies encompassing thousands of people have since shown that following the MIND diet corresponds with better cognitive functioning, a lower risk of dementia and slower disease progression in people with Alzheimer’s.
—Dana G. Smith, New York Times, 6 Jan. 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 11 Jan. 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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