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comprise meaning and examples

2025-09-22

Meaning

  • Comprise means "to consist of" or "to be made up of."
  • It expresses the idea that a whole includes or contains certain parts.

Grammar and Usage

  • Part of speech: verb (transitive)

  • Typical structure:

    • A comprise B (A consists of B)
    • Common in passive form: be comprised of

  • Usage note: Many style guides recommend "comprise" = whole → parts (e.g., "The committee comprises 10 members"), and suggest avoiding "is comprised of" (although it is widely used).

Common Phrases

  • comprise of (less formal, but frequent in usage)
  • comprised entirely of
  • comprise a majority
  • comprise the whole

Collocations

  • comprise members/parts/elements
  • comprise a team/group/committee
  • comprise sections/chapters

Examples

  1. The course comprises ten modules.
  2. The United States comprises 50 states.
  3. The book is comprised of three main sections.
  4. The meal comprises soup, a main dish, and dessert.
  5. The committee comprises five experts from different fields.
  6. The exhibition is comprised of both modern and classical artworks.
  7. The team comprises young players from across the country.
  • consist of
  • include
  • contain
  • be made up of

Antonym

  • exclude
  • omit