compromise

Syllables: com·pro·mise/ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz//ˈkɑmpɹəˌmaɪz/

compromise noun: the settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.

Noun

compromise (countable and uncountable, plural compromises)

The settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.
- But basely yielded upon compromise / That which his noble ancestors achieved with blows.1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to...
- All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter.1775, Edmund Burke, Conciliation with America
A committal to something derogatory or objectionable; a prejudicial concession; a surrender.
- a compromise of character or right
- I was determined not to accept any fine speeches, to the compromise of that sex the belonging to which was, after all, my strongest claim and title to them.1823, Charles Lamb, Modern Gallantry
(computer security) A breach of a computer or network's rules such that an unauthorized disclosure or loss of sensitive information may have occurred, or the unauthorized disclosure or loss itself.

Verb

compromise (third-person singular simple present compromises, present participle compromising, simple past and past participle compromised)

(ambitransitive) To bind by mutual agreement.
- Laban and himself were compromised / That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied / Should fall as Jacob's hire.c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
- In all the flutter of peace talk, a public desire to be done with war, and a readiness to compromise through mediation, was revealed.2011, Barbara W. Tuchman, The First Salute, Random House Publishing
To adjust and settle by mutual concessions; to compound.
- The controversy may easily be compromised.a. 1662 (date written), Thomas Fuller, The History of the Worthies of England, London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond,] W[illiam] L[eybourne] and W[illiam] G[odbid], published 1662, →OCLC
Synonyms:

split the difference
(intransitive) To find a way between extremes.
To pledge by some act or declaration; to endanger the life, reputation, etc., of, by some act which can not be recalled; to expose to suspicion.
- to pardon all who had been compromised in the late disturbances1856, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic. A History. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC
(transitive) To cause impairment of.
(transitive) To illegally expose.
- He compromised dozens of United States Government classified documents […]2001 February, Stefan A. Pluta, “United States of America v. Robert Philip Hanssen: Affidavit in Support of Criminal Complaint, Arrest Warrant and Search Warrants”, in United States District Court...
(transitive) To breach (a security system).
- They tried to compromise the security in the computer by guessing the password.

Proper noun capitalized: Compromise

Compromise

A township in Champaign County, Illinois, United States.

compromise meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu

compromise in Hindi

settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions: समझौता samjhautā, सुलह sulah

compromise in Tamil

சமரசம், இணக்கத் தீர்வு, இணக்கத்தீர்வு, இணக்கம், உடன்பாடு, உடன்பாடுசெய்

compromise in Marathi

compromise, settlement, adjustment: तडजोड taḍj̈oḍ

compromise in Urdu

settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions: سَمْجَھوتا samjhautā

More languagesFewer languages

compromise in Bengali: আপস, মিটমাট, রফা, সন্ধি
compromise in Telugu: రాజీ, రాజీపడండి, రాజీపడటం
compromise in Malayalam: മദ്ധ്യസ്ഥാവലംബനം, സന്ധി, പരസ്പരധാരണയിലെത്തുക, വീട്ടുവീഴ്ച ചെയ്യുക
compromise in Kannada: ಕೊಡುಕೊಳುಗೆ, ರಾಜಿ ಒಪ್ಪಂದ, ಹೊ೦ದಾಣಿಕೆ
compromise in Punjabi: ਸਮਝੌਤਾ ਕਰਨਾ
compromise in Gujarati: તડજોડ taḍjoḍ
compromise in Odia: ଆପୋଷ ବୁଝାମଣା, ଆପୋଷ ବୁଝାମଣା କରିବା
compromise in Tagalog: kompromiso
compromise in Arabic: حَل وَسَط ḥal wasaṭ, تَسْوِيَة taswiya, يخترق
compromise in Indonesian: kompromi
compromise in Vietnamese: thoả hiệp

Examples of compromise in a sentence

Bridge scour may scoop out scour holes and compromise the integrity of the structure.
They offered some compromises in an effort to ameliorate the situation.
In the novel, Constanza is a paragon of virtue who would never compromise her reputation.

All 40 example sentences with compromise

Synonyms of compromise

split the difference

Forms of compromise

Noun
plural	compromises
Verb
third-person singular present	compromises
present participle	compromising
past participle	compromised
past	compromised

Past tense of compromise: compromised

Plural of compromise: compromises

Origin of compromise

From Middle French compromis, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin compromissum (“a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration”), prop. neuter of Latin compromissus, past participle of compromittere (“to make a mutual promise to abide by the decision of an arbiter”), from com- (“together”) + promittere (“to promise”); see promise.

Words formed from compromise

Phrases with compromise

compromise effects

Words that rhyme with compromise

48 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about compromise

What does compromise mean?: Compromise means the settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.
What is compromise in Hindi?: Compromise in Hindi is समझौता (samjhautā), सुलह (sulah). See Compromise meaning in Hindi.
What part of speech is compromise?: Compromise can be a noun, a verb or a proper noun.
How do you pronounce compromise?: Compromise is pronounced /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/ (UK).
What is the plural of compromise?: The plural of compromise is compromises.

Words near compromise in the dictionary

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-uk-compromise.ogg, En-us-compromise.ogg.

Cite this entry: “compromise.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/compromise. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.