1
as in directions
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle
a young go-getter who lost his moral compass in the course of his quest for fame and fortune
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in scopes
an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends
within the compass of my voice
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3
as in edges
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something
within the compass of the city walls
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in fulfils
to carry through (as a process) to completion
attempting more than his modest abilities could compass
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in circles
to travel completely around
the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth
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3
as in plots
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
the rebels are compassing the assassination of the king
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4
as in surrounds
to form a circle around
a mysterious isle, compassed by treacherous seas
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5
as in knows
to have a clear idea of
the concept that the earth is billions of years old is one that the average mind struggles to compass
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of compasses
Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
Orienteering is an outdoor sport that requires athletes to navigate between checkpoints using maps and compasses.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for compasses
Noun
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People are asking me for directions.—
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Since both directions are required for a record-holding run, in addition to a production volume of 30 or more cars (only 13 Venoms have been sold), the Hennessey doesn’t qualify for official record books.—
Noun
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They can also be modified to accommodate different rounds, scopes and lighter stocks made of fiberglass.—
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On April 28, when the existing cable failed, radios were silenced for 30 seconds and radar scopes went dark for 90 seconds.—
Noun
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Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.—
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Rainwater tends to gather along the road edges.—
Verb
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Against a palette of softly glitching synth, Zelda flute, and twittering mechanical birds, the song circles feelings of uncertainty about commitment, sacrifice, and choosing one’s true path.—
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Over beers and homemade guac, lead guide Joy McCreary circles us up and asks everyone to state the important stuff—name, hometown, and favorite Dead tune—an icebreaker that also gives the band a list to work from.—
Verb
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However, the game rights change is contingent on the larger ESPN-NFL deal passing Department of Justice review, which seems increasingly unlikely to come before the NFL plots its 2026 calendar.—
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LaBeouf plays a character named Clodio Pulcher, who plots against Cesar.—
Verb
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The spread of banchan—side dishes that fill out a traditional Korean meal—that surrounds the central grill serves as a choose-your-own-adventure map for perfectly embellishing your meats of choice.—
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The two galaxies, named NGC 4532 and DDO 137, are in fact falling into the Virgo Cluster at 547 miles (880 kilometers) per second, and in doing so are plowing through a vast cloud of gas that surrounds the cluster.—
Verb
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Treatment centers, everyone knows, are a racket.—
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Zanni really knows how to drag it out, and criminal thoughts creep into my mind.—
Noun
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This month invites you into the realms of emotional mastery and deep inner work.—
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Even more troubling, the attacks escalated into more personal realms, with Minaj making disparaging comments about Cardi B’s pregnancy, and mentioning her children explicitly.—
Cite this Entry
“Compasses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compasses. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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