en·com·pass

(ĕn-kŭm′pəs)

tr.v. en·com·passed, en·com·pass·ing, en·com·pass·es

1. To form a circle or ring around; encircle.

2. To enclose; envelop: "The blackness of the eternal night encompassed me" (Edgar Allan Poe).

3. To have as part of something larger; include: a galaxy encompassing billions of stars. See Synonyms at include.

en·com′pass·ment n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	encompassing - broad in scope or content; "across-the-board pay increases"; "an all-embracing definition"; "blanket sanctions against human-rights violators"; "an invention with broad applications"; "a panoptic study of Soviet nationality"- T.G.Winner; "granted him wide powers" across-the-board, all-embracing, all-encompassing, all-inclusive, blanket, broad, extensive, panoptic, wide comprehensive - including all or everything; "comprehensive coverage"; "a comprehensive history of the revolution"; "a comprehensive survey"; "a comprehensive education"
	2.	encompassing - closely encircling; "encompassing mountain ranges"; "the surrounding countryside" circumferent, surrounding close - at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other; "close to noon"; "how close are we to town?"; "a close formation of ships"

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References in periodicals archive

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There is almost always, we learn, a difference between "the black worldview"--evidently encompassing Muslims, Christians, intellectuals and crack addicts--and white opinion; "the general public" unexpectedly appears on p.

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