How to use compass in a sentence

40 example sentences · noun, verb, adverb

Compass means a magnetic or electronic device used to determine the cardinal directions (usually magnetic or true north). Example: “A traditional (but impossible) mathematical problem was to achieve trisection using a straight edge and compass.”

Examples of compass by meaning

nounA space within limits; an area.

He was as if trying to get himself into the smallest possible compass.1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “Chapter 14”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC

nounAn enclosing limit; a boundary, a circumference.

within the compass of an encircling wall

nounSynonym of scope.

And its treatment of words is as nearly exhaustive as the compass of an abridged work permits.2003, Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, Merriam-Webster, →ISBN, page 6a

nounA passing round; circuit; circuitous course.

Then, fetching a wide compass, he worked back at leisure, for he needed time to invent a story if any of Mahbub's retainers asked questions.1901, Rudyard Kipling, Kim

verbTo accomplish; to reach; to achieve; to obtain.

The immediate problem is how to compass that end: by the seizure of territory or by the cultivation of the goodwill of the people whose business she seeks.1921 November 23, The New Republic, volume 28, number 364, page 2

verbTo plot; to scheme (against someone).

What scheme wouldn't he compass to mould that girl to his wishes.1915, The Wireless Age, volume 2, page 580

More sentences with compass

A traditional (but impossible) mathematical problem was to achieve trisection using a straight edge and compass.From the entry trisection
A regular octadecagon cannot be constructed using a compass and straightedge.From the entry octadecagon
The head of the compass needle is pointing due north.From the entry head
The thunderstorm affected the compass, and we got lost.From the entry affected
Other support systems included active and passive sonar, altimeter, depthometer, and compass.2025 April 17, Wikipedia contributors, “CURV”, in English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. From the entry depthometer
Goldsmith Chandlee placed an outkeeper on his compasses like none other.2022, Walt H. Sirene, American Backcountry Tall Clock, page 258. From the entry outkeeper
You check the compass on your phone and it’s going haywire.2020 April 1, Andrea Josic, Nathaniel Crouch, Zachary Roman, “Help deliver a secret message to Rye’s president”, in The Eyeopener, volume…. From the entry never eat shredded wheat
It must manage interest rates without a working monetary policy compass.2019 August 1, Mark Zandi, “Blame Trump for the Fed’s broken monetary policy compass”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 01…. From the entry fed
These procedures are often referred to as “swinging the compass” or a “compass swing.”2017, Federal Aviation Administration, “Standardized Procedures for Performing Aircraft Magnetic Compass Calibration”, in Advisory…. From the entry compass swing
Unless otherwise indicated, compass directions given in this book are ecclesiastical, not geographical, reference points.2014, Paul Porwoll, Against All Odds: History of Saint Andrew's Parish Church, Charleston, 1706-2013, WestBow Press, →ISBN, page 365. From the entry north
If you're using a set-and-forget compass, draw a big sigh of relief at this point.2012, Glenn Randall, Outward Bound Map & Compass Handbook Revised, page 52. From the entry set-and-forget
She is the needle on a compass and Spencer is due North.2007 May 9, Harry Sanderford, “A Bedtime Story”, in A Prairie Home Companion. From the entry squirmage
This is corrected by setting the magnetic declination of the compass.2005, Phil Medina, Homework Helpers: Earth Science, page 53. From the entry magnetic declination
I never heard that His Majesty or Uncle Sam had to build kennels for their magnetic compasses.2005 April 5, Eugene Griessel, “Bloody silly U-boat question ....”, in sci.military.naval (Usenet), archived from the original on 06 Oct…. From the entry dachshunde
Everybody's a hook, except them four guys on the points of the compass.2003, David W. Maurer, Whiz Mob: A Correlation of the Technical Argot of Pickpockets with Their Behavior Pattern, page 58. From the entry hook
The regular 17-sided polygon (heptadecagon) can be constructed with the help of a compass and a ruler.2001, Kunihiko Kasahara, Amazing Origami, New York, N.Y.: Sterling Publishing, →ISBN. From the entry heptadecagon
I prefer to use a map and a compass that is in my Jeep.2000 April 10, Timothy A. Leerhoff, “Personal vehicles with GPS systems - Opinions, please”, in novell.community.chat (Usenet), retrieved…. From the entry GPS system
He chuckled, took a pair of compasses and jammed them into the door above the latch.1984, Hallam Tennyson, “Needful Parts”, in The Haunted Mind: An Autobiography, London: André Deutsch, →ISBN, page 46. From the entry crotch
And embittered Winter, fury consumed By thoughts of Spring's nighsome 'proach, can compass.1922, Charles Edwin Hewes, Songs of the Rockies. From the entry nighsome
The upper octaves of the flute's compass are produced by overblowing.1909, Leander Jan Bekker, Stokes' Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians. From the entry overblow
“This Supreme Court has lost its ethical compass,” Whitehouse, who chairs the Judiciary’s subcommittee on court oversight, said in a statement.2023 April 10, Jennifer Bendery, quoting Sheldon Whitehouse, “Senate Democrats Urge John Roberts To Probe Clarence Thomas' Undisclosed…. From the entry pal around
This advisory circular (AC) describes procedures for calibrating an aircraft magnetic compass to minimize the effect of aircraft-induced magnetic fields.2017, Federal Aviation Administration, “Standardized Procedures for Performing Aircraft Magnetic Compass Calibration”, in Advisory…. From the entry compass swing
Descartes extended this classification by introducing his set-square compass.2008 January, Michel Serfati, “A Note on the Geometry and Descartes's Mathematical Work”, in Notices of the American Mathematical Society…. From the entry set square
Each plane had a radio compass so that when we flew toward the buncher, the compass would go straight up.2008, W. C. Gibson, “54: Lieutenant W.C. Gibson”, in Alan L. Griggs, editor, Flying Flak Alley: Personal Accounts of World War II Bomber…. From the entry buncher
They steer with nature as their compass.2003, Andrew McMurry, Environmental renaissance: Emerson, Thoreau, and the systems of nature. From the entry ecocritic
The cosmopolite glitter of the Ballets Russes enjoyed considerable compass—a transoceanic range that quickly credentialed both the composer and the choreographer.2002, Charles M. Joseph, Stravinsky and Balanchine: A Journey of Invention, Yale University Press, page 34. From the entry cosmopolite
He writes that Judaism was her moral compass.1998 December 5, “Diary reveals complex life of southern Jew”, in Miami Herald, number 82, Miami, Fla.: Herald Print. and Pub. Co., →ISSN…. From the entry moral compass
They hustle and scheme without moral compass, trying to survive by making accommodations that are at best temporary, more often delusional.1994 November 20, Vincent Canby, “Arts: Sam Shepard Goes to the Races and Wins”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times…. From the entry moral compass
Stickley Handcraft," with a shopmark in red that could easily be confused with their older brother's red joiner's compass shopmark.1988, Old-House Journal, volume 16, number 6, page 39. From the entry shopmark
He had navigated the party as far as Ceylon using a hydrographic quintant in lieu of a magnetic compass.1978, Ian Trenowden, Operations Most Secret, London: William Kimber, page 62. From the entry quintant
These hues are about equidistant on the color compass.1920, Harry Dexter Kitson, Manual for the Study of the Psychology of Advertising and Selling, page 40. From the entry color compass
The instruments consisted of a compass, an altimetre to register the height, a speed indicator and several others.1919, W. Crispin Sheppard, Don Hale with the Flying Squadron. From the entry altimetre
His North Star was Rome, his compass was the Holy Office, “My polar star is Rome; my compass is the Holy Office.”2018, Frank M. Guttman, Honoré Beaugrand: a Traditional “Rouge”?. From the entry north star
A trisector is a person who has, he thinks, succeeded in dividing any angle into three equal parts using straightedge and compass alone.1983, Underwood Dudley, “What To Do When the Trisector Comes”, in The Mathematical Intelligencer, volume 5, number 1, New York, N.Y.…. From the entry trisector

Meaning of compass

noun A magnetic or electronic device used to determine the cardinal directions (usually magnetic or true north).
noun A pair of compasses (a device used to draw circular arcs and transfer length measurements).
noun The range of notes of a musical instrument or voice.

Full definition of compass

Questions about compass in a sentence

How do you use compass in a sentence?: Compass is used as a noun, verb and adverb. For example: “A traditional (but impossible) mathematical problem was to achieve trisection using a straight edge and compass.”
What is a short sentence with compass?: “They steer with nature as their compass.”
What does compass mean?: Compass means a magnetic or electronic device used to determine the cardinal directions (usually magnetic or true north).

Adapted from Wiktionary: compass (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use compass in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/compass. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.