1
as in fulfilling
to carry through (as a process) to completion
attempting more than his modest abilities could compass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in circling
to travel completely around
the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in plotting
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 surrounding
to form a circle around
a mysterious isle, compassed by treacherous seas
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in understanding
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compassing
Verb
-
All of these rely entirely on Starship fulfilling its promise of rapid, low-cost, reusable launch.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
22 May 2026 -
But there is a difference between building a fulfilling career and developing one designed to impress strangers.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
The Nativity and Passion facades can be appreciated from outside, and the scale of the project is best understood by circling it slowly.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
They're laid, each fall, in ephemeral ponds; on dry mounds, like the one Dahrouge is circling, that should be inundated by winter's rains.—
Nathan Rott,
NPR,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Faye probably calculated that the move, announced late on Friday, could bury his own political career but was worth the risk to break an impasse that has prevented the country plotting a path out of its debilitating debt crisis.—
Alexis Akwagyiram,
semafor.com,
25 May 2026
-
At a true farmers market, you’ll likely spot chefs inspecting greens, tasting fruits and plotting that night’s specials — the same approach is available to home cooks willing to shop seasonally and ask questions.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
While questions continue to swirl regarding the possibility of biological lifeforms being in the possession of the federal government, Heckenlively is offering a stark warning surrounding the reality of aliens and humans coming into contact with each other.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2026
-
It has been embraced and celebrated in Colorado and surrounding states for decades, not only to get a bird’s-eye view of the earth below, but also as a visual spectacle from the ground up.—
Shauna Farnell,
Denver Post,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Younger children may have trouble understanding the idea of a hurricane.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
HowLitt credits Pratt with understanding how to break through with a communications message, something many Democrats do not.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
The consumer goods giant is well on its way to accomplishing that goal, with dozens of projects across 17 countries covering 254,000 hectares as of 2025.—
Mindy Lubber,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
-
In the e-bike arena, licensing for the drivers should be under the state DMV which has the capability of accomplishing that critical task.—
Michael Miller,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
On the Iron Horse Regional Trail traversing Contra Costa and Alameda counties, the whir of electric bikes has become part of the summer soundtrack.—
Maddie White,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
-
Over 65 hours The longest Amtrak train route is the Texas Eagle, which runs between Chicago and Los Angeles with a long leg spent traversing Texas (hence the name).—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Styled by Brad Goreski, Moore wore a custom cobalt blue Self Portrait gown with an oversized bow encircling the hips, falling into a train.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
22 May 2026
-
Bad weather postponed a major construction project on Atlanta's primary highway encircling the city last weekend, but now the traffic chaos is here.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Compassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compassing. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
