compaction
Americannoun
-
the act of compacting or the state of being compacted.
-
Geology. the consolidation of sediments resulting from the weight of overlying deposits.
Etymology
Origin of compaction
1350–1400; Middle English compaccioun < Latin compāctiōn- (stem of compāctiō ) a joining, frame, equivalent to compāct ( us ) compact 1 + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Compaction is what happens when something is crushed or compressed. In many places, garbage undergoes compaction after it's collected, so that it takes up less space. The process of making something more compact, or dense and very tightly packed together, is compaction. Geologists (scientists who study rocks and earth) might talk about the natural process of compaction, when sand or silt becomes denser and denser over time, as heavy material presses down on it. Computer scientists might instead think of data compaction, when data is simplified by removing information that's unnecessary or redundant.
Vocabulary lists containing compaction
Can You Dig It? Words for Dirt and Soil
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!
Earth Science - Middle School
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!
Rocks and Minerals - Introductory
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.
For many years, researchers did not know how this extra level of chromatin compaction occurred.
From Science Daily • Dec. 8, 2025
“There were four crews out there doing surveys, site analysis, for safety, for soils compaction, for environmental issues, utilities issues,” Soboroff said.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 11, 2024
Cities built on drained marshland or fill are especially vulnerable to compaction.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 2, 2024
Cover crops can protect against erosion and soil compaction.
From Salon • Aug. 17, 2023
To avoid even a little bit of soil compaction, I try to sprout the seed without irrigation but always fear that hot weather will frustrate my efforts.
From Gardening Without Irrigation: or without much, anyway by Solomon, Steve
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.
