You're staring at a blank Google Doc. The cursor is blinking, almost judging you. You've already used the word "encompasses" three times in the last two paragraphs, and honestly, it’s starting to look weird. We’ve all been there. It’s one of those "sticky" words that feels safe because it covers everything, but use it too often and your writing starts to sound like a 1990s legal brief or an AI trying way too hard to be professional.
Finding another word for encompasses isn't just about cracking open a dusty thesaurus; it’s about vibe. Words have different "weights." Some are heavy and formal. Others are light and breezy.
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Why we get stuck on "encompasses" in the first place
It’s a powerful verb. Derived from the Old French encompasser, it literally means to form a circle around something. When you say a project encompasses several phases, you’re visually suggesting a boundary that holds everything together. That’s why it’s a go-to for business reports, academic papers, and even casual descriptions of hobbies. But English is a messy, beautiful language with over 600,000 words. We can do better than repeating the same three syllables until they lose all meaning.
If you’re writing a resume, "encompasses" feels passive. If you’re writing a novel, it feels sterile. Depending on your specific context, you might need something that implies action, or maybe something that suggests a more fluid integration.
The "Big List" of Alternatives (And When to Use Them)
Let's get into the nitty-gritty. You can't just swap these out blindly. If you use "shrouds" when you meant "includes," people are going to think you’re writing a gothic horror novel instead of a quarterly review.
When you mean "Includes Everything"
If your goal is to show that a group is part of a whole, include is the obvious choice. It’s simple. It’s clean. But if you want to sound a bit more sophisticated, try incorporates. It suggests that the different parts are blended together into a single body.
Think about a recipe. A cake doesn't just "encompass" flour and sugar; it incorporates them. There’s a sense of mixing and unity there.
Then there’s comprise. This one is tricky. Strictly speaking, the "whole comprises the parts." So, "the team comprises ten members." People often get this backward, saying "the members comprise the team," but in formal writing, that's technically a no-no. If you want to avoid the headache, just use consists of. It’s bulletproof.
The "Big Picture" Words: Span and Cover
Sometimes you aren't talking about parts of a whole, but rather a range of time or space. This is where span shines. It’s a great another word for encompasses when you’re talking about history or geography. "His career spanned four decades" sounds much more natural and active than "His career encompassed forty years."
Cover is the Swiss Army knife of this group. It’s informal, sure, but it’s incredibly effective. "The insurance policy covers water damage." Simple. Direct. No fluff.
If you want to get a little fancy—maybe you're writing a travel blog or a descriptive essay—use embrace. It’s warmer. "The national park embraces both jagged peaks and lush valleys." It gives the reader a feeling of hug-like containment rather than just a cold list of features.
Nuance Matters: The Business vs. Creative Divide
In a professional setting, people love words like comprehensive (as an adjective) or entail. If a job entails travel, it means travel is a necessary part of the deal. It’s a bit more "required" than just "encompassed."
However, in creative writing, you want words that evoke imagery. Consider encircle or envelop. These words have movement. They feel like something is happening. If a fog envelops a town, it’s a much more vivid image than saying the fog encompassed the town. The latter sounds like the fog is filing a property claim.
Avoiding the "Thesaurus Trap"
We've all seen that one person who uses "circumscribe" when they just meant "limit." Don't be that person. Using a "smart" word just to look smart usually backfires. It makes your writing harder to read. The best writers use the simplest word that carries the exact meaning they need.
If you're looking for another word for encompasses, ask yourself: "What am I actually trying to say?"
- Am I saying these things are inside a container? (Contain)
- Am I saying they are parts of a machine? (Make up)
- Am I saying this covers a wide area? (Blanket)
Blanket is actually a fantastic, underused alternative. "The new law blankets all small businesses in the region." It implies a total, uniform coverage that "encompasses" just doesn't capture.
Real-World Examples of Swaps That Work
Let’s look at some actual sentences and how changing this one word alters the entire tone.
Original: The festival encompasses a variety of musical genres.
The "Action" Swap: The festival showcases everything from jazz to death metal.
Why it works: "Showcases" is active and exciting.
Original: The study encompasses three years of research.
The "Chronological" Swap: The study draws on three years of data.
Why it works: "Draws on" implies that the research is a foundation, not just a boundary.
Original: My responsibilities encompass payroll and hiring.
The "Resume" Swap: I oversee payroll and talent acquisition.
Why it works: "Oversee" shows leadership. "Encompass" makes it sound like the tasks just happened to be near you.
A Quick Word on "Involve"
I see involve used as a synonym a lot. It’s fine, but it’s a bit weak. If a project involves risk, the risk is a side effect. If a project encompasses risk, the risk is a fundamental part of the structure. It’s a subtle difference, but if you're writing for a specialized audience (like in law or insurance), those nuances are the difference between a clear contract and a lawsuit.
Digging Deeper: The Academic Perspective
In sociology or psychology, you’ll often see the word subsume. This is a "heavy" word. When one idea is subsumed by another, it means the first idea has been completely absorbed into the second. It’s not just "included"; it’s integrated to the point where it might lose its individual identity.
If you’re writing a thesis or a deep-dive analysis, subsume is a powerful another word for encompasses. It shows you understand the hierarchy of the concepts you’re discussing.
On the flip side, if you're talking about a philosophy that takes in many different viewpoints, you might use incorporate or assimilate. These suggest a synthesis of ideas.
Actionable Tips for Better Word Choice
You don't need a PhD in linguistics to stop overusing "encompasses." You just need a process.
- Identify the "Container": Is the thing doing the encompassing a physical space, a time period, or an abstract idea?
- Check the Energy: Do you want the sentence to feel still and descriptive, or active and moving?
- Read it Aloud: This is the ultimate test. If you stumble over a word like "constitute" or "circumscribe," your reader will too.
- Kill the Passive Voice: Often, we use "encompasses" because we’re writing in a passive way. "The plan encompasses X, Y, and Z" can often be changed to "The plan targets X, Y, and Z."
Beyond the Single Word
Sometimes the best another word for encompasses isn't a single word at all. It’s a phrase.
- "Runs the gamut of"
- "Takes in"
- "Built upon"
- "Stretches from... to..."
These phrases add rhythm to your writing. They break up the monotony of Subject-Verb-Object sentences that make readers' eyes glaze over.
The Verdict on Variety
There isn't one "best" replacement. Language is contextual. If you’re writing a letter to a friend about your vacation, say the trip "had a bit of everything." If you're writing a pitch deck for a startup, say your platform "integrates" various services.
The goal of finding a synonym is clarity and engagement. You want the person on the other end of the screen to keep reading. If they hit "encompasses" for the fifth time, they’re going to click away and look for a cat video. Or a sandwich.
Final Check: What to Do Next
Go back to your draft. Hit Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F) and search for "encompass." See how many times it pops up.
If it’s there more than once every 500 words, start swapping. Use cover for the simple stuff. Use span for time. Use incorporate for processes. By the time you’re done, your writing will feel tighter, more professional, and—most importantly—more human.
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Stop settling for the first word that comes to mind. The "safe" word is usually the boring one. Take the extra ten seconds to find the word that actually fits the shape of your thought. Your readers will thank you, even if they don't consciously realize why your writing suddenly feels so much better to read.