compassing

verb

present participle of compass
1
as in fulfilling
to carry through (as a process) to completion attempting more than his modest abilities could compass

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in circling
to travel completely around the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth

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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

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4
as in surrounding
to form a circle around a mysterious isle, compassed by treacherous seas

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for compassing
  1. fulfilling
  2. circling
  3. plotting
  4. surrounding
  5. understanding
  6. accomplishing
  7. traversing
  8. encircling
Verb
  • The research of Soai, along with that of Kagan, contributed to fulfilling the remaining two criteria, for which the duo received the 2026 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In August, his wife, Rivka, gave birth to a daughter, fulfilling a promise that Bohbot made to himself in the tunnels to give his 5-year-old son, Reem, a sibling.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of fulfilling
Verb
  • The restaurant was loud, with photographers circling the art patrons like vultures.
    — Eileen Kelly, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The possible deal follows major Hollywood studios and streamers earlier circling the movie inspired by the biggest video game of 2025.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of circling
Verb
  • Israeli Defense Forces said Bik was involved in plotting attacks and recruiting new members.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026
  • All of this is unfolding during a polarizing presidential election between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted of plotting a coup.
    — DAN RESTREPO, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of plotting
Verb
  • The surrounding area has also become increasingly popular among billionaires, and in nearby Palm Beach, security has become part of the draw.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The film follows a protagonist returning to his hometown for the first time in 28 years, drawn back by the mystery surrounding a young artistic prodigy.
    — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of surrounding
Verb
  • Gathering relevant data is a vital first step to understanding everything from the value of underground mineral deposits to the money held in pension funds.
    — Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The incentive structures that power the mathematical community are not set up for a world where solving problems is easy and understanding their answers remains hard.
    — Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of understanding
Verb
  • Curtis had a difficult time rebuilding the staff at her clubs on the way out of the pandemic — accomplishing that only with the help of comics who promoted her efforts on their podcasts.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Achievement is much more useful when the person accomplishing it still likes the life waiting afterward.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of accomplishing
Verb
  • Frith has three friends with her when she’s first seen traversing the marshes.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The production’s adventurousness, traversing every corner of Brad Bentz’s scenic design, can have a diffuse effect.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of traversing
Verb
  • Captured by the Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer, or SMILE, the footage reveals the full ring of auroral activity encircling Earth's north pole in ultraviolet light, stretching across both the night and day sides of our planet.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Dumas watched, charmed, his arms encircling his wife’s shoulders, and accepted an ice-cream sundae in a silver parfait cup.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of encircling
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.

Browse Nearby Words

compasses
compassing
compassion
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Cite this Entry

“Compassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compassing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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