composition

noun

ˌkäm-pə-ˈzi-shən How to pronounce composition (audio)
Definition of compositionnext
1
as in piece
a literary, musical, or artistic production the compositions of Michelangelo include the dome of St. Peter's, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and his monumental statue of David

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2
as in paper
a short piece of writing done as a school exercise a teacher who is fond of having her class write compositions

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3
as in layout
the way in which the elements of something (as a work of art) are arranged student photographers learn the importance of composition in creating striking images

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4
as in article
a short piece of writing typically expressing a point of view submitted a composition to the local newspaper for its special section marking Martin Luther King Day

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of composition Families can find items like book covers for only $1, pencil bags, cases, composition, other notebooks at 40% off; binders at 50% off; and Takeya USA water bottles at 50% off. — Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026 Juicy fig and bright citrus open the composition, while brown sugar and licorice lend it a darker, warmer edge. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 31 July 2026 The two immediately bonded over ambient music, tape loops, orchestral composition and drone, forging a friendship that soon extended into touring, live performance and eventually composing together. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 31 July 2026 My dad used to play this composition on the piano throughout my childhood. — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for composition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for composition
  1. piece
  2. paper
  3. layout
  4. article
  5. work
  6. essay
  7. design
  8. masterpiece
Noun
  • The other great piece of news is that, yes, this will get a localized release with multiple language support, something that the original PlayStation Portable version never had.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • High above Cherry Creek in Castlewood Canyon State Park, a concrete arch bridge has carried travelers, and a piece of Colorado history, for more than 75 years.
    — Karen Leigh, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of piece
Noun
  • The paper described research on the feasibility of using gene-editing to correct the mutation the caused their daughter’s disorder but did not mention a human trial nor their daughter’s death.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • The Jordan Valley Rangeland Fire Protection Association has created donation accounts at local banks, including the Bank of Eastern Oregon and Clarity Credit Union, where donors can mail paper checks.
    — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2026
Definition of paper
Noun
  • But finishing first and second in the model’s inaugural appearance confirmed the engineering brilliance of the 250 P’s mid-engine layout.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 31 July 2026
  • The converted building with its red brick facade is favored for its large windows, multi-level layouts, outdoor terraces and ceilings that reach up to 25 feet.
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of layout
Noun
  • As Robert Daugherty, CEO of the Jack Welch Management Institute, argued in an article titled Family Businesses Face A New Era Of Wealth Transition, the pressure points in this era are tax planning and continuity.
    — Michael Gold CFP, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • United was asked to confirm these new routes, and this article will be updated if a response is given.
    — Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of article
Noun
  • Through the mid-1980s, Wolfram continued this work, discovering a number of fundamental connections between computation and nature, and inventing such concepts as computational irreducibility.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 4 Aug. 2026
  • This kind of telescope is ideal for solar work, being a good size aperture to reveal fine detail, but not so large as to be severely affected by daytime atmospheric turbulence.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of work
Noun
  • That first essay drew upon years of listening to founder pitches and working with founders as a venture investor and board member.
    — Michael Wee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The most entertaining of these is undoubtedly Margaret Cavendish, the Duchess of Newcastle, who died in 1673, at the age of fifty, leaving more than twenty volumes of poems, plays, and essays.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of essay
Noun
  • Out of hundreds of entries around the world, the park’s design won first-place in the World Landscape Architecture Awards public design concept category.
    — Noah Daly July 31, Idaho Statesman, 31 July 2026
  • From a 1924 Neo-basque house to design-forward flats with scenic balconies, add the seven Airbnbs below to your Biarritz bucket list.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 31 July 2026
Definition of design
Noun
  • Born in 1906, Visconti was older than either collaborator, and his high-toned, overripe style, expressed in his masterpieces Senso (1954) and The Leopard (1963), arguably renders him an even more remote figure.
    — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026
  • In the 2014 sci-fi film Ex Machina, Oscar Isaac played a reclusive AI-tech billionaire dwelling in an architectural masterpiece—the Juvet Landscape Hotel—and a private summer home in Valldal, Norway.
    — Catherine Dunwoody, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of masterpiece

Browse Nearby Words

compositing
composition
compositions
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Cite this Entry

“Composition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/composition. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on composition

Nglish: Translation of composition for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about composition

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