ENGLISH
REFERENCE

compose

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //kəmˈpoʊz// UK //kəmpˈəʊz// com·pose Archaic Dialect General-service

v. to create something like a piece of music, a poem, or a formal letter. It can also mean to make up the parts of a whole or to calm yourself down.

v. to create or produce a literary or musical work; to constitute or make up a whole. When used in the passive voice to describe components, it is followed by the preposition 'of'.


SIMPLE

She spent the afternoon trying to compose a new song.

CONTEXTUAL

The committee is composed of experts from several different fields of science.

COMPLEX

Before entering the courtroom to face the media, the witness took a deep breath to compose herself and review her notes.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English composen, from Old French composer (“to compose, compound, adjust, settle”), from com- + poser, as an adaptation of Latin componere (“to put together, compose”), from com- (“together”) + ponere (“to put, place”).

Usage

Transitive when creating a work or calming oneself; often used in the passive form 'be composed of' to describe parts of a whole.

Pitfall

The team is composed by ten playersThe team is composed of ten playersWhen describing the parts that make up a whole, the verb 'compose' in the passive voice requires the preposition 'of'.

© 2026 English Reference