1
as in direction
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle
a young go-getter who lost his moral compass in the course of his quest for fame and fortune
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in scope
an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends
within the compass of my voice
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in perimeter
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something
within the compass of the city walls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to accomplish
to carry through (as a process) to completion
attempting more than his modest abilities could compass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to circle
to travel completely around
the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to plot
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 to surround
to form a circle around
a mysterious isle, compassed by treacherous seas
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to know
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
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Recent Examples of compass
Chris Westfall, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
And he’s got a really good compass of what needs to happen in the moment.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Tomas Tranströmer, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024
Abigail Jackson The adjacent dining area is dedicated to family heirlooms like a set of Allan Gould compass chairs from Kate’s interior designer grandmother and a red vintage rug from her great-grandparents.
—Morgan Goldberg, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for compass
Noun
Inside a self care mindset, taking a pause to find your own inner compass is the key to navigating the future of work.
—Chris Westfall, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
And he’s got a really good compass of what needs to happen in the moment.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
The wind sighs: Save me, Lord, for the waters have compassed my soul.
—Tomas Tranströmer, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024
Abigail Jackson The adjacent dining area is dedicated to family heirlooms like a set of Allan Gould compass chairs from Kate’s interior designer grandmother and a red vintage rug from her great-grandparents.
—Morgan Goldberg, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for compass
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compass
Noun
-
Mahan has refused to back down, maintaining that making difficult decisions is necessary to steer San Jose in the right direction.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
26 May 2025
-
Most days, there are between three and five clues in each direction on a five by five grid, but the puzzles are sometimes larger, especially on Saturdays.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Noun
-
Are these films more intimate in scope, or has there been there a shift in scale?—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
17 May 2025
-
The scope for Wieffer, O’Riley and Gomez to improve in their second seasons at Brighton provides hope of bridging the gap.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Noun
-
Compton High is relying instead on a secure campus perimeter, cameras throughout campus and facial recognition technology.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2025
-
While his admission may seem like a slight, cracking the list of the league’s top 10 defenders each season is a difficult task, particularly for perimeter players whose efforts aren’t as well represented by defensive metrics.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
Soon, more of these sneaky clickers are circling, so Ellie makes Dina go and hide.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
11 May 2025
-
But their season was already circling the drain in that moment.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Verb
-
Artillery missions had been plotted the night before.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2025
-
The filmmaker puts aside the self-reflexive storytelling that has marked much of his work since he was first arrested in 2010, delivering a straightforward narrative that’s plotted like a good thriller but builds into a stark condemnation of abusive power.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
24 May 2025
Verb
-
The Unconscious Impact On Business The study also emphasizes the unconscious biases surrounding accents.—
Michael Shooster,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
-
This is largely because of the general resentment surrounding Paul, not because of his heelish actions inside the ring, but because of his controversial actions outside of it.—
Jeremy Hanna,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
Barnett is best known for his participation in the first season of Love Island USA, which premiered in 2019.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
-
On May 9, a swarm of what are believed to be Africanized honey bees, also known as killer bees, attacked and killed three horses in Comanche, Texas, just about 50 miles southeast of Eastland.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
To a lesser extent, McDavid was part of Leon Draisaitl’s Rocket-winning act this season.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
-
What to do instead: Make getting high-quality sleep a priority, to the extent that that’s possible.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Compass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compass. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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