What does encompass mean?
Encompass is a verb with two closely related meanings: to physically surround or enclose something, and to include or cover a broad range of things within a single scope. A moat may encompass a castle; a job description may encompass dozens of duties. The word carries a formal, somewhat elevated tone, making it a staple of academic prose, legal documents, and professional communication, where precision about scope matters. It derives from the prefix en- ('to cause to be in') combined with compass, which historically meant a boundary or circuit as well as the familiar navigation instrument — so to encompass something is, etymologically speaking, to draw a circle around it. Writers reach for encompass when they want to convey completeness: whatever falls within its grasp is treated as fully contained, leaving nothing outside. It pairs naturally with abstract nouns like range, scope, vision, and breadth, and remains a versatile way to signal that a subject is being considered in its entirety.
To surround or enclose completely.
"A high stone wall encompassed the entire estate."
Often used of physical boundaries, barriers, or natural features enclosing an area.
To include comprehensively; to cover or contain a wide range of subjects, elements, or activities.
"The festival's program encompasses music, dance, theater, and visual art."
Favored in formal writing; typically takes an abstract or collective object indicating scope.
Encompass literally means to 'form a circle around' — it shares its root with compass, the very tool that draws circles and finds your way.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of encompass
Encompass entered English in the late 16th century, formed from the prefix en- ('in' or 'to put into') plus compass. At that time compass meant not only the navigational instrument but also a circuit, boundary, or extent — a sense preserved in phrases like 'within the compass of a page.' The verb therefore originally meant to encircle or enclose within a boundary, and its figurative sense of including a wide range of things developed from that spatial idea. It shares this root with compass itself and with words derived via Old French from the Latin compassare, 'to pace out or measure around.'
How encompass is actually used
Encompass is formal in register and appears frequently in academic, legal, and business writing. When used figuratively to mean 'include,' it often takes a broad or abstract object such as a field of study, a set of responsibilities, or a range of ideas.
Easily confused with encompass
A compass is primarily an instrument for showing direction (or the act of ranging around), while encompass is the verb meaning to surround or include comprehensively.