Synonyms of compass
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
Relevance
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
1
as in to accomplish
to carry through (as a process) to completion
attempting more than his modest abilities could compass
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to circle
to travel completely around
the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth
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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
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
1
as in directions
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
2
as in scopes
an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends
within the compass of my voice
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in edges
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
1
as in implements
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 circles
to travel completely around
the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in plots
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 surrounds
to form a circle around
a mysterious isle, compassed by treacherous seas
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5
as in knows
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
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Recent Examples of compass
ABC News, 28 May 2026
Perhaps the coolest bit is the clock in the top-right corner, which, at the press of a button, cycles into a 60-second stopwatch, and then a compass.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 26 May 2026
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
Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026
Over 1,000 years ago, explorers began using compasses, typically made with a floating cork or piece of wood with a magnetized needle in it, to find their way.
—Scott Brame, The Conversation, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compass
Noun
Birds, fish and turtles orient themselves using Earth's magnetic field as a compass.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
Perhaps the coolest bit is the clock in the top-right corner, which, at the press of a button, cycles into a 60-second stopwatch, and then a compass.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 26 May 2026
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
Noun
In ordinary magnetic materials, unpaired electrons behave like tiny compasses and eventually align with one another.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026
Over 1,000 years ago, explorers began using compasses, typically made with a floating cork or piece of wood with a magnetized needle in it, to find their way.
—Scott Brame, The Conversation, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compass
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compass
Noun
-
Reid plays this so well, but the direction is a little over the top, with drug-trip visuals that are too distracting to follow the dense-as-ever disjointed narration.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
The suspect appeared to fire a gun indiscriminately in the direction of several people and then ran back toward the apartments, Perez said.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Your career and personal goals might not align with the scope and offer of the deal.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
-
Still, Bartos argues the pace and scope of reform changed dramatically once the United States began applying pressure through budget negotiations and funding discussions.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Midtown street closures The NYPD will have a security perimeter set up from West 29th Street to West 35th Street between Sixth and Eighth avenues.—
Katie Houlis,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
Regardless of the schedule, make time to walk the cliff’s perimeter and enjoy a fresh perspective.—
Judith Garrison,
AJC.com,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
This change was partly accomplished by the creation of the Access Artist Advisory Board, which was dedicated to making things more accessible — physically and emotionally, but also financially.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
So what’s Aiyuk accomplishing by bashing the 49ers repeatedly on social media?—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
That churning mix of confidence and doubt gives Sir Render a full-bodied dynamism that Navy Blue albums can sometimes lack, moving between moods instead of circling around a single frame of mind.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
-
Symptoms of prolonged deficiency include ventroflexion of the neck (bending the head toward the floor); mental dullness (confusion, lethargy, non-responsiveness, failing to interact, low energy); vision changes; wobbly walking, circling, or falling; seizures; and weakness and lethargy.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Bolsonaro was arrested and ultimately convicted of plotting a coup to overturn the results of that election.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
-
But, increasingly convinced that Mossadegh was an extremist allied with communism, the Eisenhower administration began to plot his ouster.—
Andrew Arsan,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Keanu Reeves and Alexandra Grant have long kept details surrounding the creative aspect of their relationship private, until now.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
-
The conflict and uncertainty surrounding it have continued to ripple through energy markets, with Exxon delivering a warning Thursday that oil inventories are on track to reach dangerously low levels in the coming weeks, forcing prices to spike and curbing demand.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Federal authorities said the unsafe or improper use of drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), can pose risks to aircraft, law enforcement operations and people on the ground.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
The deliberate blackouts, commonly known as Public Safety Power Shutoff, or PSPS, events, are affecting homes and businesses in eight counties north and west of Sacramento County.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compass. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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