compass
noun
an instrument for determining directions, as by means of a freely rotating magnetized needle that indicates magnetic north.
compasses
-
pluralof compass.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
-
present tense formof compass (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
compassnounan instrument for determining directions, as by means of a freely rotating magnetized needle that indicates magnetic north.
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.
Guided by phosphorescent compasses strapped to their wrists, the divers reached the ship in just a few minutes.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2025
Earth's dipole field, created by its liquid outer iron core, produces a magnetic field that loops from the North Pole to the South Pole and is the reason compasses point toward the poles.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 25, 2024
But something more nuanced emerges regarding our internal compasses in filmmaker Levan Akin’s “Crossing,” about a retired Georgian schoolteacher trying to track down her transgender niece in Istanbul.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2024
Dr. Sharvit speculated that, lacking compasses, astrolabes or sextants, seafarers in the 14th century B.C. probably relied on celestial navigation, taking sightings and angles of the sun and star positions.
From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2024
I taught them how to use rulers, compasses, protractors, and triangular scales.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
