compound 1 of 3

noun

ˈkäm-ˌpau̇nd How to pronounce compound (audio)
Definition of compoundnext
as in mixture
a distinct entity formed by the combining of two or more different things mixed the chemicals together to form a new compound

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

compound

2 of 3

verb

käm-ˈpau̇nd How to pronounce compound (audio)
1
as in to increase
to make greater in size, amount, or number we compounded our error by waiting too long to call for help

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to connect
to put or bring together so as to form a new and longer whole the German language's propensity for compounding words

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

compound

3 of 3

adjective

ˈkäm-ˌpau̇nd How to pronounce compound (audio)
as in amalgamated
made from the joining of two or more parts or elements a compound word

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 compound
Noun
Some of these claims stem from the observation that nicotine is a naturally occurring plant compound found primarily in tobacco and in nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant in trace amounts. — Hasmeena Kathuria, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 Not every neighbor has liked Zuckerberg’s compound arrangement. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
The euthanasia drug, pentobarbital, must be pure and non-compounded. — Dr. Jacob Appel, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison is ready to part ways with one of his Florida compounds. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
Adjective
From 2019 to 2025, consumption of alcohol, as measured by servings, fell at a compound annual rate of 2%, according to analysis of preliminary industry data from IWSR, a drinks market research firm. — Jennifer Creery, Bloomberg, 21 May 2026 Most of that is compound growth. — Teresa Ghilarducci, Boston Herald, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for compound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compound
  1. mixture
  2. increase
  3. connect
  4. amalgamated
  5. blend
  6. accelerate
  7. couple
  8. composite
Noun
  • To achieve this, Danu’s robot employs a mixture of cameras, AI, and robotic arms to identify and sort waste much like a human would.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Beat egg white mixture until thick and glossy and mixture is barely lukewarm, 8–10 minutes.
    — Tanya Bush, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of mixture
Verb
  • Over the next three years, Movistar Plus plans to increase its annual output of Spanish originals from eight to 16 series, alongside another 10 titles through co-production and rights acquisition agreements.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The GroundBreaker 1 selection comes as the Department of War places increasing emphasis on rapidly fielding autonomous and robotic systems capable of operating alongside warfighters.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of increase
Verb
  • Join her for forest bathing or connecting with the Island’s ancient trees.
    — Adrienne Matei, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Awe Inspired cofounder and chief executive officer Max Johnson first connected with Wilson after the model wore one of the brand’s necklaces to a Teen Vogue summit.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of connect
Adjective
  • Large language models train on amalgamated content from millions of writers to predict the next logical word.
    — Marissa Brassfield, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Traitors is about the gullible and the skeptical working together to sieve the fraudulent from the truthful, an amalgamated nightmare of village idiots locking themselves in the stocks and pelting each other with rotten fruit.
    — Raven Smith, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026
Definition of amalgamated
Noun
  • Sleepwear including gowns and robes are crafted from a luxurious rayon/spandex blend for a lightweight feel with delicate lace detailing.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • On SiM’s new album, Hooman After All, the chaotic blend of genres continues, but for MAH, the secret ingredient has always been his deep love for reggae.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of blend
Verb
  • In 2025, the company opened a global fragrance atelier in Paris, called La Maison des Paroberfums, which aims to accelerate innovation across its portfolio of fragrance brands including Jo Malone London, Le Labo, Kilian Paris and more.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The Democratic Unitary Platform, Venezuela’s largest opposition coalition, has called for a more dynamic relationship with Washington to accelerate political change.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of accelerate
Verb
  • Tatum won Love Island USA in July, coupling up with Bryce Alakai for the victory.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Later that same year, the researchers coupled their thorium apparatus to an optical atomic clock, proving that these excited nuclei can serve as high-precision timekeepers.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of couple
Adjective
  • Park Aerospace — Shares of the manufacturer of composite materials for the aerospace market lost 9%.
    — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, the movie’s Zuckerberg is surrounded by composite characters of advisors.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of composite

Browse Nearby Words

composure
compound
compounded
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on compound

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about compound

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All