encompass

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verb en·com·pass \in-ˈkəm-pəs, en- also -ˈkäm-\

Definition of encompass

transitive verb
1a : to form a circle about : encloseb obsolete : to go completely around
2a : envelopb : include, comprehend a plan that encompasses a number of aims
3 : bring about, accomplish encompass a task

encompassment

play \in-ˈkəm-pə-smənt, en- also -ˈkäm-\ noun

See encompass defined for English-language learners

See encompass defined for kids

Examples of encompass in a Sentence

The district encompasses most of the downtown area.
a neighborhood encompassed by a highway

Recent Examples of encompass from the Web

Sometime in the years leading up to September 17, 2011, zombies had gone from being associated with a terror of mob rule to the promise of release from an inescapably all-encompassing system.

— erin blakemore, Longreads, "Our Zombies, Ourselves: An Undead Reading List," 20 July 2017
Season Two will crisscross the map to encompass 24 states, including North Carolina, Vermont, New York, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Oregon and Washington.

— mary colurso, AL.com, "Alabama's on the menu when Taylor Hicks' 'State Plate' makes its Season 2 debut," 14 July 2017
As a spectrum, autism encompasses developmental disabilities ranging from slight to severe.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Autism still gets dismissed by some doctors, family learns in yearlong challenge," 4 July 2017
Allen represents some 700,000 residents in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in D.C., which encompasses more than the Capitol dome than others might associate with the name.

— howard koplowitz, AL.com, "Alabama, Washington are more alike than not: Homewood native-turned-D.C. councilman," 28 June 2017
Finding an all-encompassing algorithm for such a complex metric doesn't come easy.

— tim newcomb, Popular Mechanics, "The Elliptical Machine Is Lying to You," 22 June 2017
Spetsnaz is a broad term in the Russian military that encompasses counter-terrorism strike teams, elite assault forces and special units of the FSB.

— lily dobrovolskaya and nicholas nehamas, miamiherald, "Russian official linked to South Florida biker club spent millions on Trump condos," 22 June 2017
Harper, now lieutenant over the River Patrol, oversaw dozens of officers in the division, which encompasses most West End neighborhoods, including Algonquin, California, Chickasaw, Park Duvalle, Parkland and Shawnee.

— matthew glowicki, The Courier-Journal, "Whistleblower suit: Ousted Louisville Metro Police major demoted as retaliation," 19 June 2017
Under his leadership, AllianceTexas now encompasses more than 43 million square feet in the north Fort Worth/Keller area, has more than 470 corporate residents, 47,500 employees and 10,000 single-family homes.

— marie richter, star-telegram, "Notable North Texans share favorite memories of their fathers," 14 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'encompass.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of encompass

Middle English

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

ENCOMPASS Defined for English Language Learners

encompass

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verb

Definition of encompass for English Language Learners

: to include (something) as a part
: to cover or surround (an area)

ENCOMPASS Defined for Kids

encompass

play

verb en·com·pass \in-ˈkəm-pəs\

Definition of encompass for Students

encompassed

;

encompassing

1 : to cover or surround : encircle Mountains encompass the peaceful valley.
2 : include The subject of social studies encompasses history, civics, and geography.