comprise
Americanverb (used with object)
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to include or contain.
The Soviet Union comprised several socialist republics.
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to consist of; be composed of.
The advisory board comprises six members.
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to form or constitute.
Seminars and lectures comprised the day's activities.
idioms
verb
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to include; contain
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to constitute the whole of; consist of
her singing comprised the entertainment
Usage
The use of of after comprise should be avoided: the library comprises (not comprises of ) 500 000 books and manuscripts
Related Words
See include.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of comprise
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English comprisen, from Middle French compris (past participle of comprendre ), from Latin comprehēnsus; see comprehension
Explanation
When something comprises other things, it is made up of them or formed from them. The periodic table comprises 118 elements, because the whole comprises the parts. In its traditional use, the word comprise is the opposite of compose: if A comprises X, Y, and Z, then X, Y, and Z compose A. But because compose and comprise sound so much alike, people have long confused the two. So now you often hear things like "The band is comprised of a guitarist, a bassist, and a hairy drummer," whereas sticklers would prefer "is composed of" in that sentence. The word is undergoing a usage shift, making it just as hairy as that drummer!
Vocabulary lists containing comprise
List 1
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Hatchet
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Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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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.
“Mine,” in this sense, doesn’t simply allude to something Corvette will steal; she’s referring to all the invisible things that comprise a mass-produced product — the labor and energy and time.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
When it came to selecting artists to comprise a quasi-supergroup for “Yoko Only,” Honda turned to close friends and those inspired by Ono.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
Now they comprise just a part of the $2 trillion lent by credit funds to investment grade borrowers, data center builders and power companies.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
The board of directors would comprise four directors from each of the current Regis and Vault boards, they said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
As a result, people who are classified as violent offenders comprise a much larger share of the prison population than they would if they had earlier release dates.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
