COMPASSES Synonyms: 252 Similar and Opposite Words

compasses 1 of 2

noun

plural of compass

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

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Relevance

as in scopes

an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends within the compass of my voice

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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

compasses

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of compass

as in implements

to carry through (as a process) to completion attempting more than his modest abilities could compass

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in circles

to travel completely around the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth

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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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as in surrounds

to form a circle around a mysterious isle, compassed by treacherous seas

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of compasses

Noun

The prevailing motifs include Anglo-American boarding schools and college campuses, accoutrements with a romantic aura (billowing sleeves, melting candles), and analog artifacts (old compasses, monocles). — Sophia Zhang, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026 So many role-playing games spoonfeed you with compasses and waypoints and fourth-wall-breaking warnings. — Alex James Kane, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 As for steering a buggy to the Artemis base, compasses don’t work on the moon, and dust will adhere to optics, so NASA has pioneered plans to use Earth’s Galileo and GPS satellites to navigate. — Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 11 May 2026 Pilots learn to navigate using maps and compasses, as well as natural cues such as stars and terrain features including rivers, bridges and other landmarks to orient themselves and move toward friendly forces. — Luis Martinez, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026 Likewise, this administration has demonstrated a talent for sudden pivots — foreign policy statements that change overnight, budget proposals that evaporate by morning, and messaging that suggests the communications team may be using different maps, compasses and time zones. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026 In ordinary magnetic materials, unpaired electrons behave like tiny compasses and eventually align with one another. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026 Over 1,000 years ago, explorers began using compasses, typically made with a floating cork or piece of wood with a magnetized needle in it, to find their way. — Scott Brame, The Conversation, 16 Dec. 2025 Starting in 1910, the company served as the secretive supplier to the commandos of the Italian Navy, starting out crafting precision instruments such as gun sights and luminescent compasses before creating its first watches in 1935. — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for compasses

Noun

If people are working from different assumptions, stop and clarify the system before everyone charges off in opposite directions.

— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
On an infinite graph — an abstraction where the graph extends forever in all directions — one or several infinite seas will dominate.

— Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of directions

Noun

With confetti colors and an appealing blocky design (buffered by rounded edges), these statement pieces are easy to clean and light enough to be moved from playroom to patio without a hitch.

— Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 31 Aug. 2026
This pre-seasoned, ¼ inch thick steel heat extremely evenly with minimal disparity between the center and edges.

— Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of edges

Verb

The new hall opened just in time to absorb a boost in freshman housing demand as the school implements its new on-campus living requirement.

— Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Eco effort To protect the pristine natural habitat, Jumeirah Olhahali implements successful conservation projects and educates guests on their role in the preservation efforts.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of implements

Verb

The job search can be a draining process, especially when applications go unanswered, AI hysteria circles the internet, and interviews end with little to no feedback.

— Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 28 July 2026
Whenever the calendar comes out, Amanda Mendoza VanCleave circles the dates.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of circles

Verb

But the Green Book plots Ecobalyse points, PEF micropoints and Higg scores together despite their different units and methodologies.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
This chart from Henry Allen at Deutsche Bank plots the rate of inflation at the beginning of each historical period when the Fed began raising rates, against the number of basis points in that rate-raising cycle.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of plots

Verb

The 2026 Man Pavilion Designed by Alexander Rose Another key Axis Mundi structure this year is Cryptomeria, the pavilion that surrounds the Man.

— Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Anna Watson’s lighting keeps much of the house just dim enough to make the imagination dangerous, while Tony winner Gareth Fry’s sound design surrounds the audience with ominous noises whose sources aren’t always immediately clear.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of surrounds

Browse Nearby Words

compassed

compasses

compassing

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Style

“Compasses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compasses. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of compasses

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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