Meaning & use

compose

verb·Academic

To create a piece of music, writing, or art by putting parts together thoughtfully.

See it in a sentence

She composed a short symphony for her final project at the conservatory.

He sat down to compose a careful reply to the difficult email.

A note on using this word

"Compose oneself" is a common idiom meaning to calm down and regain control of one's emotions.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. verb

To make up or constitute the parts of something.

Ten members compose the committee that reviews and approves new applications each year.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “compose”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.