1
as in accomplishing
to carry through (as a process) to completion
attempting more than his modest abilities could compass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in circling
to travel completely around
the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in plotting
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
the rebels are compassing the assassination of the king
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in surrounding
to form a circle around
a mysterious isle, compassed by treacherous seas
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in understanding
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compassing
Verb
-
In some accounts of American history, the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin decisively turned public opinion against slavery, accomplishing what pamphlets and political rhetoric could not.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025 -
Sitting in a hot tub in Las Vegas with a crew of friends and family, the pair raised glasses of Dom Pérignon and toasted accomplishing the rarest of feats — making the rare dance crossover hit.—
Katie Bain,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Two traditional Chinese dancers enter the frame, gracefully circling the robots as classical music plays.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Oct. 2025
-
With Leonardo DiCaprio circling, other actors whose names have surfaced include Austin Butler, Adam Driver and Bradley Cooper.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In February, four Hamas members suspected of plotting attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe went on trial in Berlin in what prosecutors described as the first court case against militants of the Palestinian group in Germany.—
Pilar Arias,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
In December 2023, German and Dutch law enforcement arrested four people accused of plotting to attack Jewish institutions in Europe.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Leslie Cheek’s formerly private estate opened as a public garden and fine art center in 1960 and today is host to nearly a dozen gardens surrounding the family’s Georgian mansion, which has become a museum.—
Austin Hornbostel,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025
-
That rapid rise underscores the investment frenzy surrounding the leaders of a technology with the potential to transform industries and economies.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And without understanding these models at a deep level, they can’t be trusted to do anything where failure is not an option.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
While there’s no single biomarker that can perfectly predict disease or mortality, there are many that reign supreme in understanding women’s overall health and disease risk.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But Yu said the e-tail giant isn’t concerned about fulfilling orders from other platforms.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The ability to guide people in pregnancy, childbirth and beyond is, for me, the most intimate and fulfilling part of medicine.—
Tami S. Rowen,
The Conversation,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Many of the activities, such as hiking in Pisgah National Forest, viewing Looking Glass Falls, and traversing Sliding Rock in season, are outdoor-centric.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Trails have suffered erosion, so take care while traversing them.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The designs feature a star with water and green hills; a whale in water with a white bird underneath; and three turkey feathers encircling a chickadee.—
Chris Van Buskirk,
Boston Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
-
In the image from 1984, Prow Knob is almost entirely surrounded by the Alsek Glacier, but by 1999, the glacier had retreated, encircling only half of the mountain.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Compassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compassing. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share