1
as in preparing
to put (something) into proper and usually carefully worked out written form
composed a statement on this hot-button issue that managed to satisfy absolutely no one
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Relevance
2
as in comprising
to be all the substance of
the earth's crust is composed of mostly silicon with several other elements in smaller amounts
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in soothing
to free from distress or disturbance
the first order of business was to compose the injured pedestrian
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in containing
to gain emotional or mental control of
she took a deep breath and composed herself
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of composing
As a newcomer to composing and arranging for strings, Simon benefitted greatly by working with a group readily available for consultation and collaboration.
—
Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
Azar says the whole process only takes her 10 minutes, from searching for the email, composing it, to hitting send.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
In addition to composing the music and lyrics for Slam Frank — which were influenced by a wide range of artists, including Kanye West, Stephen Sondheim and Wilson Phillips — Fox frequently co-stars in the production.
—Frank Digiacomo, Billboard, 15 Dec. 2025
Applications increased more than five percent between 2024 and 2025, with first-time applicants composing over three-quarters of the pool.
—Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
The Emmy-winning musician—best known for her time as a keyboardist and pianist with Prince’s backup band, The Revolution—spent much of her time there composing music as part of the Emmy-winning duo Wendy & Lisa.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 25 Nov. 2025
Sri Charan Pakala is composing the music, while Sunil Kumar Nama serves as cinematographer.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025
Marco Beltrami is composing the score.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Drilling in pursuit of natural gas and oil in Wyoming has shown that the sandstone rock composing the Lance Formation is very deep beneath the mummies, measuring more than 1,000 meters (over 3,200 feet).
—Paul C. Sereno, The Conversation, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for composing
Verb
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The Packers are preparing for a wild-card game Saturday night in Chicago.—
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Listen to Glaser discuss preparing to host the 2026 Golden Globes on Ripa's podcast episode above.—
Verb
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House and Senate appropriators released a nearly $180 billion package comprising three funding bills on Monday, slimming Congress‘s chances of entering another government shutdown.—
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The West Meadowbrook Neighborhood Association is one of the groups comprising the Neighborhoods of East Fort Worth Alliance.—
Verb
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The rechargeable bulb, which lasts up to 72 hours, allows 12 color options beyond the typical warm white, from nervous system-soothing red (ideal for a bedtime wind down) to mood-boosting blue.—
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Its 100 villas have ocean views, private outdoor spaces (many with pools), and soothing interiors with a clean-lined, modern Asian aesthetic.—
Verb
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This changed with the draining and containing of the Everglades and explosive growth and development that followed.—
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The changes saw Fielder do a much better job of containing Demirel, allowing the Broncos to fight back and take a 9-8 lead.—
Verb
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And with the dawn of the Space Age, scientists began drafting mission proposals and designs for interstellar spacecraft.—
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In the aftermath of the Palisades Fire, city officials are drafting a measure to increase funding for the Los Angeles Fire Department.—
Verb
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During a week-long trial, the prosecution showed jurors text messages and other digital evidence that showed Urick and his girlfriend, Tara King, forming a detailed plan to rob and murder Tammy.—
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In healthy adipose – or fatty – tissue, sympathetic nerves align closely with blood vessels, forming bundles.—
Verb
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Pair it with a calming playlist and deep breaths, and even a red-eye can feel restorative.—
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The back-and-forth with vendors is something Saks Global has had to deal with repeatedly over the past year — writing letters to brands, calming nerves with reassuring phone calls, trying to temper the cocktail party rumor circuit and in the courts.—
Verb
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Born to a long line of musicians and entertainers (their great-grandparents were vaudevillians), Gunnar and Matt started writing music at age 6, shooting to fame in their own right after launching hard rock duo Nelson in the early 1980s.—
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Billy Bob Thornton and Ariana Greenblatt are set to star in Somedays, a feature film that Brian Klugman is writing and directing.—
Cite this Entry
“Composing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/composing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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