as in compression
the act or process of reducing the size or volume of something by or as if by pressing
the compaction of a complex topic into a short article means that a lot of niceties are going to get crushed
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Recent Examples of compaction
Organic materials commonly added to potting soil, such as peat moss and bark, break down, leading to compaction, poor drainage, and reduced aeration.
—
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
The rocks absorb energy from compaction as the crawler passes over them.
—George Petras, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
But ice doesn't, which can lead to soil compaction.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 23 Feb. 2026
If the ground isn’t frozen, blend some compost or other organic matter into clay-heavy soils to reduce compaction and improve drainage.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compaction
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
The rocks absorb energy from compaction as the crawler passes over them.
—George Petras, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
But ice doesn't, which can lead to soil compaction.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 23 Feb. 2026
If the ground isn’t frozen, blend some compost or other organic matter into clay-heavy soils to reduce compaction and improve drainage.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compaction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compaction
Noun
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Their flight plan for Friday also included rehearsals of basic medical procedures — including chest compressions and methods to clear airway obstructions — to help prepare future Orion crews for possible emergencies in deep space.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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The process causes a violent compression of air molecules that can heat the spacecraft’s exterior to more than 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Concacaf is not the only confederation squeezing games into FIFA windows around the club calendar.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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Hassan’s team instead squeezed a photon’s intensity and demonstrated real-time control, fluctuating between intensity and phase-squeezing by adjusting the silica’s position relative to the beams.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The facility had heavy ice condensation in the one door upright freezer.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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This rapid change in temperature creates condensation, which is why your lawn is often glistening with dew on spring and summer mornings.—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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African American Language also tends to have nuance in its tense structure, incorporating modifiers and unique contractions.—
Moriah Humiston,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
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However, the purely gravitational effects that work on spacetime itself, affecting its curvature, expansion, contraction, or evolution, should affect gravitational waves just as significantly as light gets affected.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compaction. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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