computed; computing
: to determine especially by mathematical means
Compute the area of the triangle.
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
Chuck FinderExamples of compute in a Sentence
for the test we were required to compute the answers without using a calculator
Recent Examples on the Web
But their work didn’t rule out the possibility of bizarre algorithms that could somehow use the same piece of memory for storage and calculations simultaneously—the computing equivalent of using a page filled with important notes as scratch paper.
—Ben Brubaker, Wired News, 30 Mar. 2025
Put simply, this is a mathematical function that is easy to compute moving forward in time, but extremely difficult to compute in the opposite direction.
—Quanta Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
His precision makes complex discussions on enterprise computing accessible to non-technical audiences.
20.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
The overall effect is a computing environment that is more efficient, adaptive and user-friendly.
—Hashim Hayat, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compute
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.
Ben Brubaker, Wired News, 30 Mar. 2025
Put simply, this is a mathematical function that is easy to compute moving forward in time, but extremely difficult to compute in the opposite direction.
—Quanta Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
His precision makes complex discussions on enterprise computing accessible to non-technical audiences.
20.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
The overall effect is a computing environment that is more efficient, adaptive and user-friendly.
—Hashim Hayat, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compute
Cite this Entry
“Compute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compute. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
adjective
-ˈpyüt-ə-bəl
Etymology
from Latin computare "to count, compute" — related to account, count entry 1
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share