compact 1 of 3

adjective

kəm-ˈpakt How to pronounce compact (audio)
Definition of compactnext
1
as in hard
having a consistency that does not easily yield to pressure a mattress with a compact foam core

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in packed
having little space between items or parts compact soil that should provide good support for the plant

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in concise
marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning compact prose without a single wasted word

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

compact

2 of 3

noun

ˈkäm-ˌpakt How to pronounce compact (audio)
1
as in treaty
a formal agreement between two or more nations or peoples a five-nation compact to control drug traffic

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in agreement
an arrangement about action to be taken the two made a compact never to artificially prolong the other's life in the event of incapacitating illness or injury

Synonyms & Similar Words

compact

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to consolidate
to bring (something) to a central point or under a single control the media giant decided to compact all of its far-flung operations onto a single site

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to compress
to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together compact the snow into a tight ball for throwing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 compact
Adjective
King plays Sheriff Tanya Green, Stillwater’s relentless chief enforcer — compact, unpredictable and sharp as a blade. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026 The compact design allows Bronze Blossom to fit naturally into an everyday carry setup without sacrificing durability. — New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
For the uninitiated, instead of a bottle or tube, these formulas are housed in a compact with a sponge saturated in foundation. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Aug. 2026 Cushion compacts have long reigned in Korea and Yves Saint Laurent Beauty put their spin on it with their new Skin Affair Cushion Foundation. — Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
This aerator can help ensure your lawn stays healthy throughout the fall and winter by preventing the grass from becoming compacted. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026 If the soil is heavily compacted, a core aerator may be needed to break up thatch to improve seed contact with the soil. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for compact
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compact
  1. hard
  2. packed
  3. concise
  4. treaty
  5. agreement
  6. consolidate
  7. compress
  8. solid
Adjective
  • In a century where the lives of billions are defined by chronic disease, demographic change, and digital systems, China has become one of the central proving grounds for some of the hardest issues in global health.
    — Ruby Wang, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Next year's public spending review — when the government sets future budgets for departments and public services — could be even harder for lawmakers who appear averse to any cuts.
    — Ian King, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of hard
Adjective
  • With roaring support from a packed crowd, Macklemore launched his Free Palestine Tour in Ireland’s capital Monday, just over a month after he was controversially dropped as Ed Sheeran’s supporting act.
    — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Flying to San Diego With a packed helicopter and dwindling fuel, the crew decided to head to the Coast Guard station in San Diego where ambulances were waiting.
    — Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of packed
Adjective
  • This excellent volume contains a series of concise and authoritative essays on key aspects of the Ghetto’s early history, written by leading experts in the field.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Gemini needed 11 seconds to respond despite delivering a more concise, straight-to-the-point answer.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of concise
Noun
  • Its treaties and agreements focus on preserving the peaceful, safe, and sustainable use of outer space, preventing collisions, managing space debris, and ensuring responsible operations.
    — David Zamora, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The treaty affirmed the continued existence of Virginia’s Tribal Nations, acknowledged our relationship with the Crown and recognized our connection to our communities and homelands.
    — Dana Adkins, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of treaty
Noun
  • After six weeks of filling in as lead NFL game analyst for CBS Sports, Watt has reached a multi-year agreement to continue alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz in the network’s top broadcast booth.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Lawmakers from the candidates’ respective parties also found much agreement when debating a critical minerals law that centers domestic value addition earlier this year.
    — Eugenia Perozo, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of agreement
Verb
  • Purges of officials -- including some viewed as his political rivals -- have been carried out on a scale that led critics to argue the campaign was also used to consolidate his power.
    — KANIS LEUNG, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Leaders are expected to eliminate excess capacity, reduce working capital, streamline organizations, consolidate vendors and maximize the use of assets.
    — Erik Clarke, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of consolidate
Verb
  • By adjusting the distance between the tips, the team could stretch or compress the molecular structure, changing the voltage at which the current enhancement began.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • For everyday document management, AcePDF can merge or split files, rotate or delete pages, compress large PDFs, and extract images.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of compress
Adjective
  • From Traditional Craftsmanship to Modern EDC Design The body of Bronze Blossom is crafted from solid bronze, a material known for its durability, warm appearance, and ability to develop a unique patina over time.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Capital One is finally getting credit for a solid quarter, but the debate surrounding the credit card giant's stock is far from settled.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of solid

Browse Nearby Words

comp
compact
compacted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Compact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compact. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All