Compounds — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /käm-ˈpau̇nd/ (verb) /ˈkäm-ˌpau̇nd/ (noun) com·pound

Meaning & Definition of Compounds

Compounds (verb)

  1. to pay (interest) on both the accrued interest and the principal
  2. to add to, augment
  3. to form by combining parts

Compounds (noun)

  1. something formed by a union of elements or parts; especially, a distinct substance formed by chemical union of two or more ingredients in definite proportion by weight
  2. a word consisting of components that are words (such as rowboat, high school, devil-may-care)
  3. a word (such as anthropology, kilocycle, builder) consisting of any of various combinations of words, combining forms, or affixes
  4. a fenced or walled-in area containing a group of buildings and especially residences
  5. any of numerous strong bases and their salts derived from ammonium by replacement of the hydrogen atoms with organic radicals and important especially as surface-active agents, disinfectants, and drugs

Compounds (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a distinct entity formed by the combining of two or more different things

    "mixed the chemicals together to form a new compound"

    similar: admixtures, alloys, amalgamations, amalgams, blends, cocktails, combinations, composites, conflations, emulsions, fusions, intermixtures, melds, mixes, mixtures, syntheses
    related: half-and-halfs, absorptions, coalescences, coalitions, commixtures, composts, concretions, homogenizations, immixtures, incorporations, integrations, interfusions, mergences, mergers, assortments, hashes, hodgepodges, hotchpotches, jumbles, medleys, mélanges, mishmashes, motleys, patchworks, potpourris, varieties, accumulations, aggregations, conglomerations
    near: components, constituents, elements, ingredients

Compounds (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make greater in size, amount, or number

    "we compounded our error by waiting too long to call for help"

    similar: accelerates, adds (to), aggrandizes, amplifies, augments, boosts, builds up, enlarges, escalates, expands, extends, hypes, increases, multiplies, pumps up, raises, stokes, supersizes, swells, ups
    related: booms, jumps, skyrockets, spikes, bumps (up), ratchets (up), blows up, dilates, distends, inflates, draws out, elongates, fleshes (out), lengthens, prolongs, protracts, stretches, develops, enhances, heightens, intensifies, magnifies, complements, supplements, beefs (up), reinforces, strengthens, maximizes, accumulates, amasses, collects, follows up, parlays
    opposite: abates, decreases, de-escalates, diminishes, downsizes, dwindles, lessens, lowers, minifies, reduces, subtracts (from)
    near: abbreviates, abridges, curtails, shortens, compresses, condenses, constricts, contracts, cuts back, retrenches

  2. to put or bring together so as to form a new and longer whole

    "the German language's propensity for compounding words"

    similar: catenates, chains, concatenates, conjugates, connects, couples, hitches, hooks, interconnects, interlinks, joins, links, yokes
    related: articulates, dovetails, integrates, interlocks, intermeshes, cords, strings, wires, cements, coalesces, combines, fuses, unites, welds
    opposite: disconnects, disjoins, disjoints, dissevers, disunites, separates, unchains, uncouples, unhitches, unlinks, unyokes
    near: detaches, disengages, divides, parts, splits, cleaves, ruptures, severs, sunders

Related Entry: Compound (noun)

Compound is a different word from Compounds. The synonyms below are for compound, not for compounds.

  1. a distinct entity formed by the combining of two or more different things

    "mixed the chemicals together to form a new compound"

    similar: admixture, alloy, amalgam, amalgamation, blend, cocktail, combination, composite, conflation, emulsion, fusion, intermixture, meld, mix, mixture, synthesis
    related: half-and-half, absorption, blending, coalescence, coalition, commingling, commixture, compost, concretion, homogenization, immingling, immixture, incorporation, integration, interfusion, intermingling, mergence, merger, merging, mingling, assortment, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jumble, medley, mélange, mishmash, motley, patchwork, potpourri, variety, accumulation, aggregation, conglomeration
    near: component, constituent, element, ingredient

Related Entry: Compound (verb)

Compound is a different word from Compounds. The synonyms below are for compound, not for compounds.

  1. to make greater in size, amount, or number

    "we compounded our error by waiting too long to call for help"

    similar: accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build up, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, hype, increase, multiply, pump up, raise, stoke, supersize, swell, up
    related: boom, jump, skyrocket, spike, bump (up), ratchet (up), blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, draw out, elongate, flesh (out), lengthen, prolong, protract, stretch, develop, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify, complement, supplement, beef (up), reinforce, strengthen, maximize, accumulate, amass, collect, follow up, parlay
    opposite: abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from)
    near: abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten, compress, condense, constrict, contract, cut back, retrench

  2. to put or bring together so as to form a new and longer whole

    "the German language's propensity for compounding words"

    similar: catenate, chain, concatenate, conjugate, connect, couple, hitch, hook, interconnect, interlink, join, link, yoke
    related: articulate, dovetail, integrate, interlock, intermesh, cord, string, wire, cement, coalesce, combine, fuse, unite, weld
    opposite: disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, dissever, disunite, separate, unchain, uncouple, unhitch, unlink, unyoke
    near: detach, disengage, divide, part, split, cleave, rupture, sever, sunder

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Compounds

The most common words with a similar meaning to Compounds:

admixtures, alloys, amalgamations, amalgams, blends, cocktails, combinations, composites, conflations, emulsions, fusions, intermixtures, melds, mixes, mixtures, syntheses, accelerates, adds (to), aggrandizes, amplifies, augments, boosts, builds up, enlarges, escalates, expands, extends, hypes, increases, multiplies, pumps up, raises, stokes, supersizes, swells, ups, catenates, chains, concatenates, conjugates

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Compounds

Words with the opposite meaning of Compounds:

abates, decreases, de-escalates, diminishes, downsizes, dwindles, lessens, lowers, minifies, reduces, subtracts (from), disconnects, disjoins, disjoints, dissevers, disunites, separates, unchains, uncouples, unhitches, unlinks, unyokes

Related Words for Compounds

half-and-halfs, absorptions, coalescences, coalitions, commixtures, composts, concretions, homogenizations, immixtures, incorporations, integrations, interfusions, mergences, mergers, assortments, hashes, hodgepodges, hotchpotches, jumbles, medleys, mélanges, mishmashes, motleys, patchworks, potpourris, varieties, accumulations, aggregations, conglomerations, booms

Near Antonyms of Compounds

components, constituents, elements, ingredients, abbreviates, abridges, curtails, shortens, compresses, condenses, constricts, contracts, cuts back, retrenches, detaches, disengages, divides, parts, splits, cleaves, ruptures, severs, sunders

Word Forms of Compounds

Inflections: compounded, compounding

Derived words: compoundable (adjective), compounder (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Compounds

Middle English compounen, from Anglo-French *cumpundre, from Latin componere, from com- + ponere to put position

First known use: 14th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Compounds

Frequently Asked Questions about Compounds

What does "Compounds" mean?

"Compounds" means to pay (interest) on both the accrued interest and the principal. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to pay (interest) on both the accrued interest and the principal. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Compounds"?

Other words for "Compounds" include admixtures, alloys, amalgamations, amalgams, blends, cocktails, combinations and composites. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Compounds" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Compounds"?

There are 125 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Compounds". Common alternatives include admixtures, alloys, amalgamations, amalgams, blends, cocktails, combinations, composites, conflations and emulsions.

What is the opposite of "Compounds"?

Antonyms of "Compounds" include abates, decreases, de-escalates, diminishes, downsizes, dwindles, lessens and lowers. Near antonyms include components, constituents, elements and ingredients.

How do you use "Compounds" in a sentence?

Examples of "Compounds" in a sentence: "mixed the chemicals together to form a new compound"; "we compounded our error by waiting too long to call for help"; "the German language's propensity for compounding words".

Is "Compounds" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Compounds" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Compounds" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Compounds"?

"Compounds" is pronounced /käm-ˈpau̇nd/ as a verb and /ˈkäm-ˌpau̇nd/ as a noun and divided into syllables as com·pound.