encompass

/ɪnˈkʌmpəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈkʌmpəs/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈkəm-pəs en- also -ˈkäm-/ (ame, mw)

encompass — verb

  • encompasspresent simple I / you / we / they
  • encompasseshe / she / it
  • encompassedpast simple
  • encompassing-ing form

1. to cover or contain a wide variety of different subjects, items, or activities a

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to cover or contain a wide variety of different subjects, items, or activities as part of a larger whole

例句

The festival program encompasses film screenings, live music, and art exhibitions.

encompass + list of diverse items (film, music, art)

Saira's job responsibilities encompass everything from budget planning to staff training.

pattern: encompass everything from X to Y

同義詞
  • include

    more general and less formal; works in everyday speech

  • cover

    slightly less formal; common in rules, policies, and insurance contexts

  • comprise

    more formal; focuses on the parts that make up a whole

  • embrace

    suggests willingly or enthusiastically including something

反義詞
  • exclude

    to leave out or not include

  • omit

    to leave out, often deliberately or by accident

文法句型

encompass + noun phrase (often a list or range)

用法筆記

Most common in formal, academic, or professional contexts. The subject is typically a broad category (term, program, field, project) followed by a list or range of items it covers. Frequently used with adverbs such as 'broadly' or 'widely'.

常見錯誤

❌My job encompasses filing papers.
✅My job encompasses a wide range of administrative tasks.
💡'Encompass' implies breadth; use it for a range of items, not a single activity.

2. to form a complete circle around something, covering or hiding it from view

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to form a complete circle around something, covering or hiding it from view

例句

A thick fog encompassed the village, making the houses barely visible.

passive sense: natural phenomenon encompasses a place

The old estate is encompassed by a tall stone wall built in the eighteenth century.

passive: be encompassed by [structure]

同義詞
  • surround

    more common and less formal; the default word for physical encircling

  • envelop

    suggests covering completely, like wrapping something up

  • enclose

    focuses on being shut in or bounded by something

  • encircle

    emphasises forming a ring around something

文法句型

encompass + noun phrase

be encompassed by/with + noun phrase

用法筆記

Often used in the passive voice (be encompassed by/with). Can describe both physical surrounding (walls, fog, water) and abstract enveloping (silence, warmth, darkness). More common in literary or descriptive writing than in everyday conversation.