compound

/ˈkɒmpaʊnd/ (noun, adjective), /kəmˈpaʊnd/ (verb)

Say it: KOM-pound (noun, adjective), kum-POWND (verb)

1. verb To make something, especially a problem or difficulty, worse by adding to it.
Don't interrupt when he's angry; you'll only compound the problem.
2. noun A substance formed from two or more elements chemically united in fixed proportions.
Water is a chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen.
3. noun An enclosed area of land with a group of buildings, often a residence, factory, or prison.
The ambassador and her staff lived and worked within the heavily guarded embassy compound.
4. adjective Made up of two or more separate parts or ingredients.
A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses.

📖 Seen in the wild

His refusal to apologize only compounded the tension between them.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ compound in a sentence

The company's financial difficulties were compounded by a sudden drop in sales.
He suffered a compound fracture in his leg during the ski accident.
Investing early is wise because it gives your money more time to compound.
The word 'blackbird' is a compound noun.
Security around the military compound was tightened after the threat.
Their initial mistake was compounded by a series of poor decisions.
The pharmacist compounded a custom medication for the patient.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

aggravate exacerbate worsen intensify heighten magnify escalate

aggravate · implies making a situation worse by adding irritation or annoyance.

exacerbate · a more formal word for making a bad situation more severe or violent.

worsen · a direct and neutral synonym for making something worse.

intensify · focuses on increasing the strength or degree of something, which isn't always negative.

Opposites: alleviate, mitigate, lessen, simplify, reduce

🌱 Where it comes from

The word comes from the Latin 'componere', meaning 'to put together'. This original sense of combination is clear in meanings like 'chemical compound'. The noun sense of an 'enclosed area' has a separate, fascinating origin from the Malay word 'kampong' (village), which English speakers in Asia altered to sound like the familiar word 'compound'.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

compound the problemcompound a mistakecompound interestchemical compoundembassy compoundcompound fracture

The most important thing to know about 'compound' is its split personality in pronunciation. When used as a noun ('a chemical compound') or an adjective ('a compound sentence'), the stress is on the first syllable: KOM-pound. When used as a verb ('to compound a problem'), the stress shifts to the second syllable: kum-POWND. This is a common pattern in English for words that are both nouns and verbs, like 'record' or 'protest'.

Word family: compounded, compounding

💬 Quick answers

What does 'compound' mean in simple terms?

As a verb, it means to make a bad situation worse. As a noun, it can mean a mixture of things (like a chemical compound) or an enclosed area with buildings (like a prison compound).

How is 'compound' pronounced?

The pronunciation changes with its function. For the noun and adjective, stress the first syllable: KOM-pound. For the verb, stress the second syllable: kum-POWND.

What is the difference between 'compound' and 'exacerbate'?

Both mean to make something worse. 'Exacerbate' is more formal and intense, often used for severe problems or diseases. 'Compound' is a more general term for adding one bad thing to another.

What is compound interest?

It is interest calculated on both the initial amount of money and the accumulated interest from previous periods. It's often called 'interest on interest'.

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