compile
Americanverb (used with object)
-
compiles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
compiled,
past participle, past
-
compiling
present participle
-
to put together (documents, selections, or other materials) in one book or work.
-
to make (a book, writing, or the like) of materials from various sources.
to compile an anthology of plays; to compile a graph showing changes in profit.
-
to gather together.
to compile data.
-
Computers. to translate (a computer program) from a high-level language into another language, usually machine language, using a compiler.
verb
-
to make or compose from other materials or sources
to compile a list of names
-
to collect or gather for a book, hobby, etc
-
computing to create (a set of machine instructions) from a high-level programming language, using a compiler
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
precompileverb (used with object)
-
recompileverb (used with object)
-
uncompiledadjective
-
well-compiledadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
compilesimple
-
compilessimple
-
have compiledperfect
-
has compiledperfect
-
am compilingprogressive
-
are compilingprogressive
-
is compilingprogressive
-
have been compilingperfect progressive
-
has been compilingperfect progressive
Past
-
compiledsimple
-
had compiledperfect
-
was compilingprogressive
-
were compilingprogressive
-
had been compilingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of compile
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Latin compīlāre “to rob, pillage, steal from another writer,” equivalent to com- “with” + -pīlāre, perhaps akin to pīla “column, pier,” pīlāre “to fix firmly, plant” (hence, “pile up, accumulate”); see com-, pile 1
Explanation
When you compile something, like a recipe-book or a mix-tape, you put it together using things that already exist (recipes, songs). Poetry anthologies, greatest-hits albums, and world-record books are all compilations, because they're made up of things that were originally published or released somewhere else. If you want to skip out on soccer practice one day, you might compile of list of excuses.
Vocabulary lists containing compile
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
P&G asked Strong, then the marketing director for Pampers, to compile a report on the private-label threat.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
With the court’s ruling Monday, Homeland Security may compile state-by-state lists of citizens who are 18 and over and eligible to vote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
To compile a list of the large-cap technology stocks that have fallen the most during July, we began with the components of:
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
They capitalize on nostalgia and the ubiquity of streaming playlists that compile older songs, and increase the catalogs’ value with biographical films and ad placements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
I would man the office, listen for the phone, open the week’s mail, greet guests when they came through, and compile the morning’s Sunday school report.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
GasBuddy compiles a daily list of the ten cheapest gas stations by city and offers an interactive map that allows you to search up prices at every station.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
The heatwave could be linked to 212 deaths in Spain between Sunday and Wednesday, according to estimates from the MoMo monitoring system, which compiles daily death statistics and compares them with historical records.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
Robert Watts, who compiles the list, said this year's Rich List is "a tale of two exoduses".
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
The Census Bureau compiles its estimates from various government data sources.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026
When he’s finished, he compiles statistics and concludes confidently that a flea’s ears are in its back legs.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
In Gmail, Siri compiled a packing checklist from a school email.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.07% as of Thursday afternoon, according to a survey of lenders compiled by Mortgage News Daily.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
The report was compiled by an independent commission and involved input from more than 12,000 people including patients and clinicians.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
At the same time, data compiled by researchers also suggest sharks are innately able to determine what is food, and humans simply don’t fit the bill.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
For Christmas, Mrs. Levy always compiled not a gift list but rather a list of the injustices and brutalities she had suffered since August.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
Wolfe appeared in 72 games over three seasons with the Blue Jays, compiling a 5-5 record and a 3.81 ERA in 82.2 innings pitched.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
On the other hand, when it comes to compiling a list of mail voters for USPS, Avore noted that these states are actually better suited than others to share that list.
From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2026
A senior serving officer, who played a lead role in compiling the briefing, is under investigation for allegedly failing to ensure its accuracy.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
The central controversy of Arendt’s career concerned her claims about Jewish leaders’ roles in compiling lists and administering deportations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Last week, I told the cultural chairwoman about my idea of compiling a songbook, and she agreed to let me and Roza do it.
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
