compose
Americanverb (used with object)
-
composes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
composed,
past participle, past
-
composing
present participle
-
to make or form by combining things, parts, or elements.
He composed his speech from many research notes.
-
to be or constitute a part or element of.
a rich sauce composed of many ingredients.
-
to make up or form the basis of.
Style composes the essence of good writing.
-
to put or dispose in proper form or order.
to compose laws into a coherent system.
-
Art. to organize the parts or elements of (a picture or the like).
-
to create (a musical, literary, or choreographic work).
-
to end or settle (a quarrel, dispute, etc.).
The union and management composed their differences.
-
to bring (oneself, one's mind, etc.) to a condition of calmness, repose, etc.; calm; quiet.
-
Printing.
-
to set (type).
-
to set type for (an article, book, etc.).
-
verb (used without object)
-
composes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
composed,
past participle, past
-
composing
present participle
-
to engage in composition, especially musical composition.
-
to enter into composition; fall into an arrangement.
a scene that composes well.
verb
-
to put together or make up by combining; put in proper order
-
to be the component elements of
-
to produce or create (a musical or literary work)
-
(intr) to write music
-
to calm (someone, esp oneself); make quiet
-
to adjust or settle (a quarrel, etc)
-
to order the elements of (a painting, sculpture, etc); design
-
printing to set up (type)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
composesimple
-
composessimple
-
have composedperfect
-
has composedperfect
-
am composingprogressive
-
are composingprogressive
-
is composingprogressive
-
have been composingperfect progressive
-
has been composingperfect progressive
Past
-
composedsimple
-
had composedperfect
-
was composingprogressive
-
were composingprogressive
-
had been composingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of compose
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Middle French word composer. See com-, pose 1
Explanation
To compose is to put something together, like a song, poem, or even yourself. You might want to compose yourself before returning to the party after a good cry. The word compose began with the Latin ponere, which means "to put, place," referring to placing or arranging any piece of work. It's been in the music business since the 1590s, and it's generally still used to describe the act of writing songs. But you can use it whenever you're pulling something together: you might compose an essay for English class, or notice that the class is composed of all girls.
Vocabulary lists containing compose
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!
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 5
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!
List 5
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:
Pillinger persuaded Britpop band Blur to compose a distinctive call-sign that Beagle 2 would transmit to Earth after landing.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
It was only regaining the ability to hear music as music that he could compose.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
Imagine thinking you're playing for Spurs and then for Man City, and then somehow you have to stay at Liverpool and compose yourself, and still perform.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
This trio is a true collective; all three musicians compose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
My stomach rolled over and I took a short breath to compose myself.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
When asked whether he saw himself as a composer who conducts or a conductor who composes, he simply laughed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
She quickly stops laughing and composes herself to tell us the story that inspired her to champion a law banning child marriage in Sierra Leone, which came into effect in 2024.
From BBC ● May 17, 2026
In most places in Europe, tax composes 50%-60% of the retail price of fuel, according to Rob Smith, S&P Energy’s director of global fuel retail.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
He specifically cites the way Pop Crave composes its posts, saying that there is specific psychology to the way its feed operates and rallies its massive follower base.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2024
Once Celia composes herself she gives him a low, perfect curtsey.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
She sits beside his bed and prays, trying to remain composed.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
The FAA panel, composed of various internal experts, arrived at the determination that “because pilots retain full control of the aircraft, the indications to the flight crew are clear and unambiguous,” the agency said Friday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
In recent years, AEW has pitched itself as an antidote to the WWE, but its roster is also almost entirely composed of independent contractors.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
In Kingsolver’s latest, a farm wife named Livia Cable has her quietly composed life blown open by a phone call from her days as a brilliant pianist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Today, the society called New Zealand is composed of 4.5 million Sapiens and 50 million sheep.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
His composing credits also include the 2007 film adaptation of “Hairspray,” “Pretty Ugly People,” “An Omar Broadway Film,” “Sorority Row” and short film “Dragula,” according to his IMDb profile.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
He was unappreciated for much of his life—even hissed at in performance—and at times gave up composing entirely.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
You're finally about to head off on a well-earned break, but there's one more task to tick off your to-do list: composing an out-of-office reply.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
He was speaking from the shaded courtyard garden of his Mayer am Pfarrplatz heuriger, down the steps from the room where Beethoven stayed while composing part of the Ninth Symphony.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
“So in ten years, we’ll see you composing major pieces all over the world?”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
