compose
Americanverb (used with object)
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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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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
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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:
Last year, he became the first Indian to compose and perform a Western classical symphony in London with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which described it as a "milestone in global music history".
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
The state ostensibly has a “merit selection” system, in which nominating commissions compose lists of the most qualified applicants for judgeships, and the governor chooses from the list.
From Slate ● May 11, 2026
Showtime’s “Twin Peaks: The Return,” which aired 18 episodes in 2017, was the most maximalist farewell imaginable, the kind of enormous canvas on which Lynch had always hoped to compose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
This routine begins to unravel into a quest for identity and existential meaning when Y is hired to compose a new patriotic anthem.
From Barron's ● Apr. 3, 2026
Harmonic analysis is also necessary for anyone who wants to be able to compose reasonable chord progressions or to study and understand the music of the great composers.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
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
This is the reverse of many professionals who edit—or copy and paste—whatever an AI tool composes in response to a prompt.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 26, 2025
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’s decided to keep this in mind as he composes his novels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2024
My self is a thing I must now compose, as one composes a speech.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Oddie composed a number of comic songs for the series, often parodies of contemporary pop music.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Human skin is composed primarily of ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol, which are not classified as saturated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
He said Ballout had given social workers "a very composed, very cautious, very controlled and very friendly impression".
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
MOTS-C: People use this peptide, which is composed of 16 amino acids, to lose weight and better manage weight-related concerns like insulin resistance, osteoporosis and metabolism.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
The manner in which the Farewell Address was actually composed, as it turned out, served as a nearly perfect illustration of its central message—the need to subordinate narrow interests to the larger cause.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
“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
He found deep satisfaction in composing music and studying the stars.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 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
Ibrahim, born Adolph Johannes Brand in 1934, grew up in Cape Town and began composing at the piano at the age of seven by picking out tunes on the keyboard.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
He was deeply impressed by field recordings of peasant folk music he had heard in the years before he began composing The Firebird.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
