1
as in works
a literary, musical, or artistic production
the compositions of Michelangelo include the dome of St. Peter's, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and his monumental statue of David
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Relevance
2
3
as in layouts
the way in which the elements of something (as a work of art) are arranged
student photographers learn the importance of composition in creating striking images
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in essays
a short piece of writing typically expressing a point of view
submitted a composition to the local newspaper for its special section marking Martin Luther King Day
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Recent Examples of compositions
White wrote jingles for commercials (a gig that informed his future compositions as much as Lou Reed’s dabbling in pop songwriting at Pickwick Records did his).
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 June 2026
The film directed by Josh Alexander documents Grammy winner Bareilles as she’s joined by close friends and fellow musicians to record her first album in seven years, an intimate set of compositions that emerged from a period of profound personal loss and grief.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 2 June 2026
Playing percussive pizzicato as often as the traditional bow, Reid gives her long, rhythmic compositions plenty of spin, pop, and sizzle, focusing on syncopated action over textural brooding.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 June 2026
The only other artist who has seen double-digit compositions fail to lead the Billboard Hot 100 by a single rung is Taylor Swift, who has landed in the runner-up rung 10 times.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Breathtaking compositions, David Koepp’s X-FILES-meets-The Bible script is one big high-wire act, Emily Blunt’s most accomplished performance, John Williams’ best score in years.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026
Learning from success and failure Rather than relying on manual decision-making, the system used algorithmic optimization to determine which alloy compositions should be tested next, allowing the workflow to continuously improve itself after every experiment.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 May 2026
That night will have Lark performing a set of her existing compositions.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
Unlike her first album, the compositions rarely built toward pop choruses or easy, identifiable emotion.
—Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 24 May 2026
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 June 2026
The film directed by Josh Alexander documents Grammy winner Bareilles as she’s joined by close friends and fellow musicians to record her first album in seven years, an intimate set of compositions that emerged from a period of profound personal loss and grief.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 2 June 2026
Playing percussive pizzicato as often as the traditional bow, Reid gives her long, rhythmic compositions plenty of spin, pop, and sizzle, focusing on syncopated action over textural brooding.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 June 2026
The only other artist who has seen double-digit compositions fail to lead the Billboard Hot 100 by a single rung is Taylor Swift, who has landed in the runner-up rung 10 times.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Breathtaking compositions, David Koepp’s X-FILES-meets-The Bible script is one big high-wire act, Emily Blunt’s most accomplished performance, John Williams’ best score in years.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026
Learning from success and failure Rather than relying on manual decision-making, the system used algorithmic optimization to determine which alloy compositions should be tested next, allowing the workflow to continuously improve itself after every experiment.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 May 2026
That night will have Lark performing a set of her existing compositions.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
Unlike her first album, the compositions rarely built toward pop choruses or easy, identifiable emotion.
—Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 24 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compositions
Noun
-
Partners have received works by Hans Memling, Rembrandt, van Dyck, Matisse, Cézanne, Degas, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alma Thomas, Mark Rothko, and so on.—
Greg Allen,
ARTnews.com,
7 June 2026
-
Other works rely more heavily on easy sentiment.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
The articles included allegations of abuse of office, bribery and misuse of taxpayer funds, but Paxton was later acquitted by the Texas Senate.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The new layouts also offer employees outdoor balcony seating and long, sunlit tables for group projects.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
6 June 2026
-
Not all living room layouts are created equal, and many people fall victim to six common mistakes when positioning their furniture in this space.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Her essays and criticism have appeared in the New York Times, New York Magazine, The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Esquire, The New Republic, and more.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
-
Stacy Arp, an Oak Forest Police Department dispatcher who helped gather the applications and essays, said most members of the Oak Forest Police Association voted for the two students.—
Janice Neumann,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
The puzzle-like slats holding the barrel together, called staves, are often used in his creations, incorporated into cocktail muddlers and cigar rests, not to mention a recent life-size buffalo made from the spent barrel pieces.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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If someone with less skill was attempting a similar thing, the pieces might feel like costumes.—
Rachel Elspeth Gross,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The juxtaposition of glossy and matte papers satisfied the papyrophile in Nilsson while adding a chewy subtext for viewers.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
With her father’s trade closed to her, Enda steals her brother’s immigration papers, sews her savings into the lining of her jacket, and sets sail for Canada.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Over time, basketry evolved into a craft among their descendants—with designs used to carry items such as sewing tools, homemade bread, and flowers—for both practical and economic purposes.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
The tradition of laying flower carpets — and destroying them when the procession tramples them — dates back two centuries and is popular also in Latin America, where elaborate sand designs are also made.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Its grandeur, natural beauty, and larger-than-life mythos fuel these narratives, with some of the most sacred stories belonging to those who have resided on the land from time immemorial.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
The food and travel personality explores the people, places and hidden stories behind iconic global destinations.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compositions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compositions. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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