1
2
a
: having a dense structure or parts or units closely packed or joined
a compact woolen
compact bone
b
: not diffuse or verbose
a compact statement
c
: occupying a small volume by reason of efficient use of space
a compact camera
a compact formation of troops
d
: short-bodied, solid, and without excess flesh
He had a small, compact body that looked full of life.—
D. H. Lawrence
D. H. Lawrence3
: being a topological space and especially a metric space with the property that for any collection of open sets which contains it there is a subset of the collection with a finite number of elements which also contains it
compacted; compacting; compacts
1
: to make up by connecting or combining : compose
: to become compacted
com·pact
ˈkäm-ˌpakt 
: something that is compact or compacted:
a
: a small cosmetic case (as for compressed powder)
b
: an automobile smaller than an intermediate but larger than a subcompact
com·pact
ˈkäm-ˌpakt
: an agreement or covenant between two or more parties
Synonyms
Examples of compact in a Sentence
Adjective
The drill has a compact design.
the apartment's compact floor plan
The cabin was compact but perfectly adequate.
He is compact and muscular.
He has a compact body.
Verb
The snow had compacted into a hard icy layer.
the media giant decided to compact all of its far-flung operations onto a single site
Recent Examples on the WebNeil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
The urge to travel with as few belongings as possible may not speak to everyone, but those that subscribe to a minimalist view of packing will benefit from having a compact underseat carry-on in their arsenal to make their next plane ride a breeze.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2024
Kia America’s sales slipped 2.5% in the three-month period despite a 10% increase in sales of its compact Forte car.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
And centrifugal superchargers look like their turbocharger cousins, employing a compact, round shape.
—Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2024
The compact electric Volvo impressed with its interior space, interiors designed from renewable and recycled materials and a powerful drive perfect for both city streets and highways.
—Scotty Reiss, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
In contrast, the new microchips are compact and scalable, Emmerich says.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Mar. 2024
To make a muon collider, physicists will have to generate muons, wrangle them into compact beams, and smash them together in the few milliseconds before the particles decay.
—Byadrian Cho, science.org, 28 Mar. 2024
Zipping up the cube let out the excess air to compress the small cube into a compact, cold-weather survival kit.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2024
Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
Precision Wiring The wiring pattern in the cerebellum is precisely organized and compacted to concentrate three-quarters of the brain’s neurons into a 4-inch lobe.
—R Douglas Fields, WIRED, 31 Mar. 2024
Some scientists believe that, before their extinction, grazing animals such as mammoths, horses and bison kept the earth frozen underneath by tramping down the grass, knocking down trees and compacting snow.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024
It's made of multiple layers of snow from different snowfalls that become compacted.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2024
Rage is one of many emotions that have compacted inside me like coal.
—Chloe Bottero, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024
If the tree is not taken down, compacting the ground for the sidewalk and adding drainage could damage its roots, city spokeswoman Tabitha Warren wrote in an email to The Charlotte Observer.
—Gavin Off, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2024
Nearby groundwater pumping has caused soils to compact.
—Mira Rojanasakul, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024
The department said that the dumpster had compacted the garbage four times when the woman was stuck inside.
NEW HAMPSHIRE WEDDING SHOOTER GETS 40 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON
The observant driver glanced at the camera that was located inside the truck, and noticed the woman desperately calling for help.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 31 Jan. 2024
Jon Grinspan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024
To get around the 2018 constitutional amendment, the compact required all online sports bets from players in Florida be placed via the tribe’s servers.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024
The compacts ensure agencies share resources in the event of a large emergency and the cancellations have left some residents uneasy.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Both states’ legislatures have considered bills to join the compact.
—Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
The pari-mutuel firms also sued DeSantis and leaders of the Florida Legislature, which authorized the compact, in a case pending before the Florida Supreme Court.
—Mike Schneider, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024
The package addresses the compacts between the United States and three Pacific Island nations.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2024
Both plans envision years in which the Upper Basin will not send downstream the amount of water required under the compact, a reality that Entsminger acknowledged tests the compact's legal limits but is a realistic nod to a changed climate.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024
Chida was the chief architect of five-year compacts with the University of California and California State University, pledging financial stability in exchange for gains in graduation rates, access and affordability.
—Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024
Adjective
This is a compact form of the long-popular native southern evergreen with glossy, dark green leaves and showy white, late spring blooms.
—Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
The urge to travel with as few belongings as possible may not speak to everyone, but those that subscribe to a minimalist view of packing will benefit from having a compact underseat carry-on in their arsenal to make their next plane ride a breeze.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2024
Kia America’s sales slipped 2.5% in the three-month period despite a 10% increase in sales of its compact Forte car.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
And centrifugal superchargers look like their turbocharger cousins, employing a compact, round shape.
—Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2024
The compact electric Volvo impressed with its interior space, interiors designed from renewable and recycled materials and a powerful drive perfect for both city streets and highways.
—Scotty Reiss, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
In contrast, the new microchips are compact and scalable, Emmerich says.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Mar. 2024
To make a muon collider, physicists will have to generate muons, wrangle them into compact beams, and smash them together in the few milliseconds before the particles decay.
—Byadrian Cho, science.org, 28 Mar. 2024
Zipping up the cube let out the excess air to compress the small cube into a compact, cold-weather survival kit.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2024
Verb
Tilling appears to fluff up and soften soil but actually causes the soil to compact.
—Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
Precision Wiring The wiring pattern in the cerebellum is precisely organized and compacted to concentrate three-quarters of the brain’s neurons into a 4-inch lobe.
—R Douglas Fields, WIRED, 31 Mar. 2024
Some scientists believe that, before their extinction, grazing animals such as mammoths, horses and bison kept the earth frozen underneath by tramping down the grass, knocking down trees and compacting snow.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024
It's made of multiple layers of snow from different snowfalls that become compacted.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2024
Rage is one of many emotions that have compacted inside me like coal.
—Chloe Bottero, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024
If the tree is not taken down, compacting the ground for the sidewalk and adding drainage could damage its roots, city spokeswoman Tabitha Warren wrote in an email to The Charlotte Observer.
—Gavin Off, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2024
Nearby groundwater pumping has caused soils to compact.
—Mira Rojanasakul, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024
The department said that the dumpster had compacted the garbage four times when the woman was stuck inside.
NEW HAMPSHIRE WEDDING SHOOTER GETS 40 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON
The observant driver glanced at the camera that was located inside the truck, and noticed the woman desperately calling for help.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 31 Jan. 2024
Noun
According to some secessionists, the Wide Awakes had already broken the compact that held the states together.
—Jon Grinspan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024
To get around the 2018 constitutional amendment, the compact required all online sports bets from players in Florida be placed via the tribe’s servers.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024
The compacts ensure agencies share resources in the event of a large emergency and the cancellations have left some residents uneasy.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Both states’ legislatures have considered bills to join the compact.
—Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
The pari-mutuel firms also sued DeSantis and leaders of the Florida Legislature, which authorized the compact, in a case pending before the Florida Supreme Court.
—Mike Schneider, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024
The package addresses the compacts between the United States and three Pacific Island nations.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2024
Both plans envision years in which the Upper Basin will not send downstream the amount of water required under the compact, a reality that Entsminger acknowledged tests the compact's legal limits but is a realistic nod to a changed climate.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024
Chida was the chief architect of five-year compacts with the University of California and California State University, pledging financial stability in exchange for gains in graduation rates, access and affordability.
—Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'compact.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to compact
Dictionary Entries Near compact
Cite this Entry
“Compact.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compact. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
compact
2 of 4 verb1
: to draw together : combine, consolidate
2
: to make or become compact : compress
compact
3 of 4 noun
com·pact
ˈkäm-ˌpakt
1
: a small cosmetic case
2
: a somewhat small automobile
compact
4 of 4 noun
com·pact
ˈkäm-ˌpakt
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English compact "firmly put together," from Latin compactus (same meaning), from compingere "to join," from com- "together" and pangere "to fasten"
Noun
from Latin compactum "agreement," derived from compacisci "to make an agreement," from com- "with, together" and pacisci "to agree"
Medical Definition
: having a dense structure without small cavities or cells
compact bone
compare cancellous
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