comprise

verb

com·prise kəm-ˈprīz

comprised; comprising

Synonyms of comprise next

transitive verb

: to be made up of

The factory was to be a vast installation, comprising fifty buildings.—

Jane Jacobs

The play comprises three acts.

: compose, constitute

… a misconception as to what comprises a literary generation.—

William Styron

… about 8 percent of our military forces are comprised of women.—

Jimmy Carter

: to include especially within a particular scope

… civilization as Lenin used the term would then certainly have comprised the changes that are now associated in our minds with "developed" rather than "developing" states.—

The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Comprise vs. Compose: Usage Guide

Although it has been in use since the late 18th century, sense 2 is still attacked as wrong. Why it has been singled out is not clear, but until comparatively recent times it was found chiefly in scientific or technical writing rather than belles lettres. Our current evidence shows a slight shift in usage: sense 2 is somewhat more frequent in recent literary use than the earlier senses. You should be aware, however, that if you use sense 2 you may be subject to criticism for doing so, and you may want to choose a safer synonym such as compose or make up.

Did you know?

The earliest meaning of comprise, "to be made up of" (as in "a team comprising nine players"), is sometimes regarded as the word's only correct use. However, this grammatical prescription denies a well-established sense of the word: "to compose or constitute" (as in "the nine players who comprise the team"). Until relatively recently, this sense appeared mostly in scientific writing, but current evidence shows that it is now somewhat more common in general use than the word's other meanings. You might be most familiar with this disputed use in the passive construction, "to be comprised of" (as in "a team comprised of nine players"). Apologies to the haters: a single sense simply can’t comprise comprise.

Examples of comprise in a Sentence

Each army division comprised 4,500 troops. The play comprises three acts.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Roughly 60% of the federal government’s budget comprises what’s known as mandatory spending — primarily Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. —

Allison Morrow, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024 These include the introduction in spring of the Assouline Library Collection, comprising library objects and new home fragrances. —

Sandra Salibian, WWD, 5 Dec. 2024 But the Lebanese army comprises men from all four major population groups. —

Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024 Our portfolio comprises Five Trail, a blended whiskey with three limited-release expressions - Barrel Proof, Cask Finish, and Small Batch. —

Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for comprise