compose

verb

kəm-ˈpōz How to pronounce compose (audio)
Definition of composenext
1
as in to prepare
to put (something) into proper and usually carefully worked out written form composed a statement on this hot-button issue that managed to satisfy absolutely no one

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2
as in to comprise
to be all the substance of the earth's crust is composed of mostly silicon with several other elements in smaller amounts

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3
as in to calm
to free from distress or disturbance the first order of business was to compose the injured pedestrian

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to contain
to gain emotional or mental control of she took a deep breath and composed herself

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of compose Her live band, which was composed of a drummer, keyboardist, bassist and guitar, trumpet and saxophone players, borrowed from those sounds, making the songs more playful than the studio versions. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026 One sequence was composed entirely of turnovers by McNeeley, Charlotte’s first-round pick in 2025 out of UConn. — Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026 The result is a fragrance profile that reads as composed rather than cloying. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026 There, mother and daughter wept and composed letters to each other. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for compose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compose
  1. prepare
  2. comprise
  3. calm
  4. contain
  5. write
  6. constitute
  7. soothe
  8. draft
Verb
  • To prepare, the team interviewed many people working in the region.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Residents in those areas are being advised to prepare for the possibility of long-duration power outages.
    — David Schutz, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of prepare
Verb
  • Founded in 2009, the retailer’s business comprises 15 stores across China, as well as lifestyle concepts including a restaurant, a tea house, and a flower shop.
    — Ashley Ogawa Clarke, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The following month, the league approved the Dream’s sale to an ownership group comprising Larry Gottesdiener, Suzanne Abair and former Dream guard Renee Montgomery.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of comprise
Verb
  • Kjærvik said calming exercises, social support, group discussion, or other aspects of a retreat are more likely to explain why participants might feel calmer afterward than venting.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The staff are friendly and are happy to facilitate requests like for in-room Peloton bikes, special calming playlists or local neighborhood tips.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of calm
Verb
  • Another 19 shipments, containing about 119,000 gallons, were stopped at the Port of Houston.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Sound tends to be hit or miss for outdoor shows as there’s nothing to contain the noise.
    — Rashad Alexander October 7, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of contain
Verb
  • Hirose, who also writes and edits, has constructed a brilliantly volatile scenario, vulnerable to any number of potentially explosive and destructive dramatic developments.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Maguire and Strayer co-wrote every song on Taking the Long Way along with Maines.
    — Shaad D’Souza, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of write
Verb
  • But how much genetic change constitutes complete domestication?
    — Ornob Alam, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The three-tracker constitutes the California black metal crew’s first new music since last year’s Lonely People with Power.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of constitute
Verb
  • Inside, the lobby is dimly lit in soothing lavender and blue and house music is piped in by surround sound.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The s and z sounds of cedar scent, soothed, breeze, petals, pads, crossed, shore, and small create a peaceful line of sound that mimics the smooth flow of a river.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of soothe
Verb
  • In 2026, she was drafted and waived by the Toronto Tempo and Atlanta Dream before being claimed by the Sparks.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Last year, Raman voted in favor of a 45-day citywide moratorium on new RV parks, a move aimed at giving city planners time to draft permanent new rules to regulate such facilities.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of draft

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comports
compose
composed
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Cite this Entry

“Compose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compose. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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