compute

verb

com·​pute kəm-ˈpyüt 

computed; computing

transitive verb

: to determine especially by mathematical means

Compute the area of the triangle.

also : to determine or calculate by means of a computer

computing pi to over one billion places

intransitive verb

1

: to make calculation : reckon

They compute by weight in selling grain.

2

: to use a computer

3

informal : to make sense

No matter how you do the math, it will not work … . It simply does not compute.

—Chuck Finder

Synonyms

• calculate
• figure

Examples of compute in a Sentence

for the test we were required to compute the answers without using a calculator

Recent Examples on the Web

Goolsbee said the reports will come from 11 different data sets that will compute a jobless rate projection as well as estimates for layoffs and other separations and a rate of hiring unemployed workers. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2025

Creating a connected map of the entire World Wide Web with indexes for every word took a lot of computing power. —ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025

It is all done with local PC computing resources and leverages the neural processing unit (NPU) on these PCs. —PC Magazine, 22 Sep. 2025

This approach keeps computing demands much lower, allowing simulations of systems with hundreds of atoms. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin computare — more at count

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing compute

• pre-compute

Rhymes for compute

• acute
• aleut
• astute
• beetroot
• breadfruit
• cheroot
• commute
• confute
• dilute
• dispute
• elute
• grapefruit

Kids Definition

compute

verb

com·​pute kəm-ˈpyüt 

computed; computing

1

: to determine or calculate especially by mathematical means

also : to determine or calculate by means of a computer

2

informal : to make sense

computable

-ˈpyüt-ə-bəl

adjective

Etymology

from Latin computare "to count, compute" — related to account, count entry 1