compass 1 of 2

noun

Definition of compassnext
1
as in direction
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle a young go-getter who lost his moral compass in the course of his quest for fame and fortune

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in scope
an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends within the compass of my voice

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in perimeter
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something within the compass of the city walls

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

compass

2 of 2

verb

ˈkəm-pəs How to pronounce compass (audio)
1
as in to accomplish
to carry through (as a process) to completion attempting more than his modest abilities could compass

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to circle
to travel completely around the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to plot
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends the rebels are compassing the assassination of the king

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4
as in to surround
to form a circle around a mysterious isle, compassed by treacherous seas

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to know
to have a clear idea of the concept that the earth is billions of years old is one that the average mind struggles to compass

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun compass differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of compass are gamut, orbit, range, scope, and sweep. While all these words mean "the extent that lies within the powers of something (as to cover or control)," compass implies a sometimes limited extent of perception, knowledge, or activity.

your concerns lie beyond the narrow compass of this study

When is gamut a more appropriate choice than compass?

While the synonyms gamut and compass are close in meaning, gamut suggests a graduated series running from one possible extreme to another.

a performance that ran the gamut of emotions

When is it sensible to use orbit instead of compass?

In some situations, the words orbit and compass are roughly equivalent. However, orbit suggests an often circumscribed range of activity or influence within which forces work toward accommodation.

within that restricted orbit they tried to effect social change

Where would range be a reasonable alternative to compass?

The meanings of range and compass largely overlap; however, range is a general term indicating the extent of one's perception or the extent of powers, capacities, or possibilities.

the entire range of human experience

When could scope be used to replace compass?

The words scope and compass can be used in similar contexts, but scope is applicable to an area of activity, predetermined and limited, but somewhat flexible.

as time went on, the scope of the investigation widened

In what contexts can sweep take the place of compass?

Although the words sweep and compass have much in common, sweep suggests extent, often circular or arc-shaped, of motion or activity.

the book covers the entire sweep of criminal activity

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of compass
Noun
Available in rich fall shades like compass red, ginger brown and oatmeal tan heather. —Nora Colomer May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025 This vision became our compass for all strategy, from research investments to recruitment. —Prof. Dr. Med. Mazda Farshad, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
The wind sighs: Save me, Lord, for the waters have compassed my soul. —Tomas Tranströmer, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 At its best, McCarthy’s fiction could compass the strange and often violent order of existence. —Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 13 June 2023 See All Example Sentences for compass
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compass
  1. direction
  2. scope
  3. perimeter
  4. accomplish
  5. circle
  6. plot
  7. surround
  8. know
Noun
  • At a moment of increasing niche-ification of the news media business, Axel Springer is running in the opposite direction.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Automation can go in either of these directions; that’s why the task of the left is to create social and cultural conditions in which the benign and constructive aspects of technology and automation are primary.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Definition of direction
Noun
  • Every 10 years, after a long debate about the scope and parameters of public funding for the BBC and the issuing of white papers, a charter for its continual operation is submitted to the Sovereign, now King Charles III, for the royal seal of approval.
    — Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The training program at Base Aeronaval Cristóbal Colón, formerly known as Fort Sherman, is relatively small in scope but is expected to ramp up over the next year, according to one defense official.
    — Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2025
Definition of scope
Noun
  • Layering treatments inside and outside the immediate perimeter, as well as further into the yard, ensures that no entry point goes unattended.
    — Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The film will include exclusive witness testimony, expert forensic analysis, and detailed graphic reconstructions that track the moment the thieves infiltrated the museum’s perimeter and vanished with the priceless treasure.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Definition of perimeter
Verb
  • After more than 40 days of uncertainty for our troops, federal workers, Texas families who rely on SNAP, & countless others, Senate Democrats have relented after accomplishing nothing but hurting millions of Americans.
    — Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • But the shutdown also accomplished a lot.
    — Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
Definition of accomplish
Verb
  • As seen in a now-viral clip circling social media, a woman was spotted in the stands at Lambeau Field holding a sign created in full support of the retired NFL star.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 11 Nov. 2025
  • This was a Lakers team ripe for the taking in one major way — LeBron James was out due to injury, much to the disappointment of the Lakers fans dressed in purple and gold who circled this game on the calendar months ago and comprised at least half the crowd.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2025
Definition of circle
Verb
  • According to the outlets, prosecutors told jurors that Urick and Tara, then 17, plotted her grandmother's murder for several weeks.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Gray and Rockett checked the bus schedule on Gray’s phone and began plotting their course.
    — Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Nov. 2025
Definition of plot
Verb
  • The porous polymer coating that reflects up to 97 percent of sunlight and radiates heat into the air, keeping surfaces up to six degrees cooler than the surrounding air even under direct sun.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2025
  • And Woll is seemingly in a good place after returning to the Leafs, taking part in multiple high-tempo practices, and on Friday, speaking to the media for the first time surrounding his absence.
    — Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Definition of surround
Verb
  • The employees are all members of a union local known as University Professional Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America 9119.
    — Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The account was not guarded by an extra layer of security known as multi-factor authentication.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Definition of know

Browse Nearby Words

compartments
compass
compassed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Compass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compass. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on compass

Nglish: Translation of compass for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about compass

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