# compose

/kəmˈpoʊz/ (US) · /kəmpˈəʊz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/compose
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to create music or writing

verb · CEFR B2

to write a piece of music, a poem, or a formal letter.

For teachers: to create or fashion a literary or musical work through intellectual effort.

- He spent the entire summer in a small cabin to compose his first symphony.
- The young prodigy began to compose intricate sonatas long before he had mastered the technical nuances of music theory.

### 2. to make up a whole

verb · CEFR B2

to be the parts that form something larger.

For teachers: to constitute or make up the constituent parts of a whole.

- Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.
- The committee is composed of representatives from every department to ensure that all voices are heard during the restructuring process.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice as 'be composed of'.

### 3. to calm oneself

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to make yourself feel calm and controlled, especially after being upset.

For teachers: to settle or calm one's mind or features; to free from agitation.

- She took a deep breath to compose herself before walking onto the stage.
- He paused at the threshold for a moment to compose his features, determined not to let his disappointment show to the waiting journalists.

Usage: Frequently used reflexively with 'myself', 'herself', etc.

### 4. to arrange a picture

verb · CEFR B2

to arrange the different parts of a photograph or painting in a pleasing way.

For teachers: to arrange the visual elements of a work of art or photography according to aesthetic principles.

- The photographer took his time to compose the shot so the mountains were perfectly framed.
- By learning how to compose a scene effectively, a painter can guide the viewer's eye toward the most important details of the narrative.

### 5. to typeset text

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical · Archaic

to arrange letters and words into lines so they can be printed.

For teachers: to set type or arrange characters in a composing stick for the purpose of printing.

- In the old days, workers had to compose every page by hand using metal letters.
- The apprentice spent years learning how to compose complex layouts on a traditional printing press before the industry shifted to digital methods.

Teaching tip: This sense is mostly historical in physical printing but survives in digital typesetting software contexts.

## Examples

- She spent the afternoon trying to compose a new song.
- The committee is composed of experts from several different fields of science.
- Before entering the courtroom to face the media, the witness took a deep breath to compose herself and review her notes.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.