compose
Americanverb (used with object)
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composes,
present (3rd person singular)
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composed,
past participle, past
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composing
present participle
-
to make or form by combining things, parts, or elements.
He composed his speech from many research notes.
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to be or constitute a part or element of.
a rich sauce composed of many ingredients.
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to make up or form the basis of.
Style composes the essence of good writing.
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to put or dispose in proper form or order.
to compose laws into a coherent system.
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Art. to organize the parts or elements of (a picture or the like).
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to create (a musical, literary, or choreographic work).
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to end or settle (a quarrel, dispute, etc.).
The union and management composed their differences.
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to bring (oneself, one's mind, etc.) to a condition of calmness, repose, etc.; calm; quiet.
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Printing.
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to set (type).
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to set type for (an article, book, etc.).
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verb (used without object)
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composes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
composed,
past participle, past
-
composing
present participle
-
to engage in composition, especially musical composition.
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to enter into composition; fall into an arrangement.
a scene that composes well.
verb
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to put together or make up by combining; put in proper order
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to be the component elements of
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to produce or create (a musical or literary work)
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(intr) to write music
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to calm (someone, esp oneself); make quiet
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to adjust or settle (a quarrel, etc)
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to order the elements of (a painting, sculpture, etc); design
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printing to set up (type)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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composesimple
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composessimple
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have composedperfect
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has composedperfect
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am composingprogressive
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are composingprogressive
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is composingprogressive
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have been composingperfect progressive
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has been composingperfect progressive
Past
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composedsimple
-
had composedperfect
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was composingprogressive
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were composingprogressive
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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
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The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 5
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List 5
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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:
Applicants had to take the same online quiz that potential contestants do, plus compose more than a full show’s worth of categories and clues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
Magotsi's eyes are filled with tears as he struggles to compose himself.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
He declined to say which AI tool helped him compose the Journal piece, which he wrote over the weekend while on vacation with his grandchildren.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Even as political campaigns experiment with more outlandish applications of the technology, many have already been using AI in quieter ways, including to compose tailored mailings and participate in digital chat rooms, Romero said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
I did my best to compose myself before I hopped in the car, but he knew something was going on and asked what was wrong.
From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge
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
He composes his songs at home - which are no longer than a minute long as he gets out of breath easily - and his sets last just 30 minutes.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2024
He’s decided to keep this in mind as he composes his novels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2024
A spiral staircase in the living room leads up to an open space that composes much of the second floor.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
One unusual aspect of these works is that they were not composed on the piano but directly on the sax, with fellow quartet members Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake and David Murray in mind.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
For five years, Sister Schubert’s fans asked, begged and eventually petitioned for the return of a frozen food composed of two things: a small smoked sausage and a soft Parker House roll.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026
It is primarily composed of concrete streets, old family-run stores, and a massive influx of newer, sleeker businesses with scrawled cursive logos and $7 drinks.
From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2026
Videos captured by the crew confirm it is a mesmerizing creature with long pale “legs” trailing from thicker appendages connected to a pale body composed of two fins that undulate languidly in tandem.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
It seemed my whole life was composed of these disjointed fractions of time, hanging around in one public place and then another, as if I were waiting for trains that never came.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
His first album of new material for the imprint, “The Singer in My Band,” out Friday, finds his composing gifts intact and also hints at where Mr. Amos should go next.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
“I actually found it much easier than writing songs about myself. Having the permission to be silly and bratty was so freeing,” Hart said to The Quietus, discussing composing from Lestat’s perspective.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
It wasn’t until after the release of that book, and then “Nickel Boys,” that Whitehead decided to lighten the mood by composing a crime novel set in New York City in the 1960s.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Tech firms are racing to roll out advanced smartphones that use artificial intelligence to do everything from ordering food to composing messages upon a simple voice command.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
So if you are composing or arranging, it's a very good idea to be able to distinguish between these two ranges for the voices or instruments you include.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
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.
