compile
verb
com·pile
kəm-ˈpī(-ə)l 
compiled; compiling
1
: to compose out of materials from other documents
compile a statistical chart
2
: to collect and edit into a volume
compile a book of poems
3
: to build up gradually
compiled a record of four wins and two losses
4
: to run (something, such as a program) through a compiler
Examples of compile in a Sentence
He compiled a book of poems.
She compiled a list of names.
They took the best submissions and compiled them in a single issue of the magazine.
We compiled our findings in the report.
Recent Examples on the Web
There were 165 coyote attacks on people in California from 1977 through 2015, according to a report from two researchers compiling such incidents within the state and elsewhere.
—
Paris Barraza, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Organizers of the Fresno State event invited candidates who have earned at least an average of 3% in recent polls compiled by RealClearPolitics.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
To analyze individual features of the site known as 906, CNN compiled more than 50 snapshots from different phases of the facility’s construction into a 3D model.
—Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
The belief was mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History (77 ce) and also appears in the Geoponica, a Byzantine collection compiled under Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus in the 10th century ce.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compile
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Paris Barraza, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Organizers of the Fresno State event invited candidates who have earned at least an average of 3% in recent polls compiled by RealClearPolitics.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
To analyze individual features of the site known as 906, CNN compiled more than 50 snapshots from different phases of the facility’s construction into a 3D model.
—Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
The belief was mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History (77 ce) and also appears in the Geoponica, a Byzantine collection compiled under Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus in the 10th century ce.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compile
Cite this Entry
“Compile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compile. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
compile
verb
com·pile
kəm-ˈpīl
compiled; compiling
1
: to collect into a volume or list
compile a book of poems
2
: to put together in a new form out of materials from other books or documents
compile a history of India
3
: to translate (as a computer program) with a compiler
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