- to enclose within a circle; surround
- to bring about; cause to happen; contrive: he encompassed the enemy's ruin
- to include entirely or comprehensively: this book encompasses the whole range of knowledge
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
en•com•pass /ɛnˈkʌmpəs/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to encircle;
surround:High mountains encompass the lake. - to include completely:The reorganization plan encompasses all employees.
en•com•pass
(en kum′pəs),USA pronunciation v.t.
en•com′pass•ment, n.
- to form a circle about;
encircle;
surround:He built a moat to encompass the castle. - to enclose;
envelop:The folds of a great cloak encompassed her person. - to include comprehensively:a work that encompasses the entire range of the world's religious beliefs.
- [Obs.]to outwit.
- en-1 + compass 1545–55
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
encompass /ɪnˈkʌmpəs/ vb (transitive)
'encompass' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
supersymmetry
- begird
- cincture
- circum-
- circumvent
- clip
- complex
- encincture
- encircle
- enclose
- engird
- envelop
- girdle
- grand unification theory
- pale
- take
- stockade
- surround