compositions

Definition of compositionsnext
plural of composition
1
as in works
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 articles
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 layouts
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 essays
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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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 compositions On the other hand, Bennu's glycine, and other amino acids present, have isotopic compositions that differ from the Murchison amino acids. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026 The recent album by the 82-year-old piano giant focuses on compositions Barron originally conceived as instrumental pieces, either set with lyrics or delivered with wordless vocal lines. Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026 Boldness is baked into this band, and that’s what leads them to dizzying new compositions and refreshing shifts in perspective. Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 10 Feb. 2026 Fennell and Sandgren’s compositions are frequently awe-inspiring, from a sequence that sees Cathy sweeping across the moors in her wedding dress to the eventual foggy reunion between the lovers that slowly pulls Elordi into relief while a searching Cathy searches for clarity. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2026 Lactose isn’t found in mayonnaise, and the fat compositions are far less complex. Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 1 Feb. 2026 In 2023, Echard began making compositions with anti-radiation fabric, an industrial material used to block electromagnetic signals and insulate spaces from harmful energies. Theo Belci, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026 In addition to occasional bursts of folk songs, there are outstanding new compositions by Mario Batkovic that move from a quick, nerve-jangling pulse to a full surge of mournful chords in a late sequence. Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026 Newness also comes through in novel material compositions. Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compositions
Noun
  • On the contemporary artist side, the duo Libby Rosen contributed seven luminous textile works made of marbled quilted fabric.
    Grace Edquist, Vogue, 7 Feb. 2026
  • More than 30 of these works, created in a collaboration between people and bees, are in the exhibit.
    Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Enhance your media literacy by learning the differences between news and opinion and, further, how to differentiate between advertising, news articles, letters, columns and editorials.
    Brenda Looper, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Lai, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted in December of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiring with others to publish seditious articles.
    Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Some in the modern stable blocks have duplex layouts and private patios.
    Lydia Bell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The passenger version supports flexible layouts.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • In these essays, our columnists follow their curiosity, and explore important but not necessarily answerable scientific questions.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 13 Feb. 2026
  • His passion for the medium and its great artists illuminates this volume, which is shaped around a list of 100 Black films contextualized in a series of critical short essays by Clark, providing a lively and robust history of global Black filmmaking.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • This cut has the coolness of a long, rock-and-roll shag, but floatier layers and romantic, face-framing pieces, or curtain bangs, to bring it into 2026.
    Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The score alternates between traditional ceremonial sounds and some jazz pieces by saxophonist Keïta Janota and Gaspard Gomis which frame the narration.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • In September, leaders of Rx Kids released research papers evaluating how the program affects economic stability, maternal mental health and birth outcomes in Flint, where roughly a third of the population lives below poverty.
    Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The set includes 21 labels (so there’s no fear of mixing up your wax and parchment papers).
    Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • When Luckman arrived in Chicago, the Bears playbook had hundreds of designs from the T Formation, with hundreds of variations in the playbook and seemingly hundreds more in the imagination.
    CBS News, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
  • This is clearly not possible considering the importance of safety concerns associated with nuclear reactors, particularly new and novel designs.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The jury winners this year hail from Mexico, India, Belgium, Japan, France, Italy and Germany, and their stories are set in scenic locales from Malaysia to Minneapolis.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
  • This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight.
    Rafaela Jinich, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Compositions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compositions. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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