Learn about word dissection and improve your vocabulary with our list of compound words.
We have compiled a comprehensive list of compound words to help you improve your vocabulary. Whether you’re writing academic papers or web content, there is an almost inexhaustible resource of words you can use to communicate your ideas effectively.
What Are Compound Words?
Compound words are two or more words combined together to form a single word with a different meaning. They can be any type of word, from nouns and verbs to adjectives, adverbs, and propositions.
Compound words are not the same as contraction words, which combine multiple words to create a shorter term. Check out our list of contraction words to see examples.
List of Compound Words
Common Compound Words
Let’s start with a short list of common compound words. As you’re about to see, these compound words are as simple as they come. They’re made by combining two words, and their combined meaning is not far from their original definition.
They are closed and have no spaces between the words they consist of (i.e., barefoot). Closed compound words can function as nouns, verbs, pronouns, prepositions, adjectives, and conjunctions.
- Antedate
Their culture antedates the arrival of Christopher Columbus.
- Background
Your PC is slow because you have a bunch of applications running in the background.
- Biweekly
For the time being, she needs to have biweekly health checkups.
- Blowout
He ran over a piece of metal on the freeway and had a blowout necessitating a tyre change.
- Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
- Bookkeeping
New cash registers will solve most of our bookkeeping problems in trade.
- Cardboard
There’s nothing left in the garage, just a couple of cardboard boxes with toys and old clothes.
- Chickpea
For the main course, they had roasted monkfish served with chickpeas and cherry tomatoes.
- Clockwise
Turn the knob clockwise to turn the machine on.
- Cupboard
You can find the broom in the cupboard below the stairs.
- Daylight
The early morning daylight shone through the bedroom window.
- Desktop
Once the program is installed, a shortcut icon will appear on your desktop.
- Drugstore
I’d appreciate it if you could stop at the drugstore on your way home for some painkillers.
- Fingerprint
A simple fingerprint test can easily identify the person who committed the crime.
- Firefly
According to Italian superstition, seeing a firefly in your home means that someone may pay you a surprise visit.
- Footnote
Make sure to append a footnote to explain your point in the article further.
- Footpath
Just follow the footpath, and you’ll reach the lake after about 10 minutes of walking.
- Foretell
You can’t foretell the future.
- Girlfriend
After a few months, his parents finally got the chance to meet his girlfriend.
- Gentleman
He always behaves like a true gentleman.
- Grandparent
Tony was raised by a grandparent.
- Grapefruit
One study showed that eating half a grapefruit before a meal is associated with significant weight loss.
- Grasshopper
She can’t tell the difference between a grasshopper and a cricket.
- Hangover
Unsurprisingly, he had a hangover from all that booze on Friday.
- Headquarters
The company’s headquarters are located in Virginia.
- Holdup
Due to a recent postal service strike, there’s a holdup with my package.
- Hypersensitive
He’s hypersensitive to caffeine, so even a single cup gives him the jitters.
- Infrared
While humans can’t see infrared light, mosquitoes can.
- Inside
This bread is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
- Jellyfish
Australian box jellyfish is considered the most venomous creature in the sea.
- Keyboard
Scientists say there are more bacteria on a computer keyboard than on a toilet seat.
- Ladybug
Did you know that a ladybug can live around 2 to 3 years?
- Landlord
His landlord is unwilling to lower the rent, so he’s moving out of that apartment.
- Nevertheless
The test was quite difficult; nevertheless, he earned an A-.
- Newborn
This sophisticated medical equipment can save the lives of newborn babies.
- Nobody
Your experience and knowledge are two things that nobody can take away from you.
- Notebook
I always keep a notebook by the bed to write down my dreams in the morning.
- Outside
I’ll meet you outside the mall.
- Peripatetic
He enjoys the peripatetic nature of working as a reporter.
- Placeholder
The new placeholder budget won’t address the deficit caused by state taxes.
- Preexisting
Unfortunately, this insurance doesn’t cover any preexisting illnesses.
- Railroad
The landslide in Utah caused the railroad blockage.
- Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical illusion, so if you move, it moves further away, and you can never catch it.
- Smartphone
The new smartphone application allows you to pay without a card.
- Snowball
She wiped down the snow from her face and grinned as she proceeded to make a giant snowball to throw back.
- Sometimes
Sometimes, the best thing to say is nothing at all.
- Spoonful
Add a spoonful of sugar to the mixture.
- Sunflower
Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan on medium heat, then fry the onions until golden.
- Toothbrush
I forgot to pack my toothbrush.
- Transatlantic
The first transatlantic flight was conducted over a century ago.
- Undercover
The criminal was caught after an undercover police investigation.
- Upperclassman
Only an upperclassman can live off the campus.
- Upstream
Salmon swim upstream to hatch eggs in freshwater rivers.
- Airborne
You can transmit airborne diseases like COVID-19 to others by sneezing and coughing.
- Breathtaking
The sea view from my bedroom window is breathtaking.
- Database
Our company plans to build a new database for all our clients’ information.
- Extracurricular
Geneva likes to join and attend extracurricular activities at her school.
- Fireproof
My grandfather has a fireproof safe for all his important documents, jewelry, and money.
- Gingerbread
My sister invited me to make a gingerbread house for Christmas.
- Headlight
The headlight in Carlo’s car is not working.
- Jaywalk
There are signs warning people not to jaywalk, but people still do it.
- Knothole
I get weird vibes from him because he has the habit of peeking through the knothole to watch other people.
- Loudspeaker
Glen put the call on loudspeaker so we could hear the whole conversation.
- Marketplace
You can buy and sell almost anything on the Facebook marketplace.
- Nationwide
We are currently experiencing a nationwide water interruption.
- Ourselves
We decided to fix the leak ourselves.
- Proofread
She likes to thoroughly proofread her essays before submitting them to her teacher.
- Spreadsheet
I use Microsoft Excel to create spreadsheet files on my computer.
- Timetable
May I know where I can see the train timetable going to the city?
- Underdog
We believe our underdog basketball team will win this season.
- Videocassette
Can you teach me how to use your videocassette recorder, Grandpa?
- Woodpecker
A woodpecker uses its strong beak to make holes in trees and search for food.
- Yearbook
The school photography club will take our yearbook photos today!
- Caregiver
Sheena’s mom is working as a caregiver in the US.
- Doorbell
Please press the doorbell three times. Thank you!
- Grandchild
She’s his grandparents’ favorite grandchild.
- Headache
“Please try to keep the noise down; I have a terrible headache.”
- Heartbeat
“Oh, this is bad – my heartbeat becomes irregular whenever he smiles.”
- Innkeeper
The innkeeper welcomes all their guests with a smile.
- Lifespan
“Did you know that an individual with Down’s syndrome has a lifespan of 60 years?”
- Myself
“I’ll do it myself if you don’t want to do it.”
- Pancake
He woke up early to make a big pancake for his lover.
- Quarterback
I can’t believe my parent’s love story is the typical quarterback who fell in love with the nerd type.
- Rattlesnake
“Quick! She was bit by a poisonous rattlesnake!”
- Snowman
My son loves to play outside during winter to build a snowman.
- Zookeeper
“This is Jake, our new zookeeper!”
- Afternoon
Afternoon tea is one of the most quintessential English customs.
- Airport
I have to leave at 4:00 AM if I want to get to the airport on time.
- Anchorman
Jonas is the new anchorman for regional evening news.
- Babysit
They’re looking for a reliable person to babysit their kid during weekdays.
- Barefoot
Let’s take our shoes off and walk barefoot along the beach!
- Baseball
Historically, baseball was considered the national sport of the USA.
- Bathroom
An ensuite bathroom immediately adjoins the bedroom, providing convenient facilities for the sleepers.
- Battleship
Deemed irreparably damaged, the Arizona battleship was left where she sank.
- Bedroom
We’re looking for a house with a modern kitchen and an ample master bedroom.
- Blueberry
That blueberry muffin you’re eating has about 500 calories.
- Cheesecake
I’m not a big fan of chocolate desserts, but I can never resist a bite of cheesecake.
- Coffee table
This glass coffee table doesn’t match the aesthetic of our living room.
- Cowboy
It’s a nice outfit, but that battered cowboy hat has to go.
- Everyday
Most people don’t experience such things in their everyday life.
- Football
He’s been playing football since elementary school.
- Frying pan
Heat the oil in a frying pan before adding the onion.
- Handshake
For such a petite lady, she has an exceptionally firm handshake.
- Lipstick
Her lipstick color is too bold for that outfit.
- Mailbox
He’s checking his mailbox daily, hoping for a reply from his employer.
- Raincoat
According to the forecast, you’ll need a raincoat and an umbrella today.
- Skateboard
Tony Hawk founded his own skateboard company in 1992.
- Sleeping bag
Always go for a sleeping bag with a temperature rating that’s a few degrees below the conditions you’re expecting on your camping trip.
- Makeover
Are you sure you want a total makeover just to make her like you?
- Watermelon
Watermelon is a green fruit with bright red flesh.
- Waterfall
From above, you have an amazing view of the waterfall and its surroundings.
- Weekend
You don’t need that big of a suitcase for a weekend trip.
- Fundraiser
The team is hosting a fundraiser for their local animal shelter.
Open Compound Words
Open compound words have spaces between the words they consist of. Even so, they’re considered a single word (i.e., hot dog).
In most cases, open compound words are nouns. When it comes to verbs, they’re written as open compound words when combined with an adverb or a preposition (phrasal verb).
- Black eye
Luckily, he wasn’t seriously injured in the crash – just a few bruises and a black eye.
- Cell phone
Nowadays, any modern cell phone can take high-quality photos.
- Close call
The decision is a close call, as the jury is equally divided on the matter.
- Cold shoulder
He gave her his most charming smile, but she gave him the cold shoulder.
- Common sense
There’s nothing less common than common sense!
- Cotton candy
This is a beautiful spring fragrance with subtle notes of sandalwood, cotton candy, and vanilla.
- Dining room
The double doors at the end of the hallway lead to the dining room.
- First aid
People attempted to give him first aid before the ambulance arrived.
- Full moon
During a full moon, rodents stay in their burrows to avoid being caught by the nocturnal predators.
- Heart attack
She nearly gave me a heart attack when she appeared out of nowhere.
- High school
While he was a mediocre student in high school, he’s at the top of his class in college today.
- Hot dog
Do you want some mustard and ketchup on your hot dog?
- Ice cream
There’s nothing more refreshing than a scoop of ice cream on a hot summer day.
- Life jacket
To inflate your life jacket, the only thing you have to do is pull on the cord.
- Next of kin
In such situations, your next of kin has legal rights to make decisions on your behalf.
- Payday
If payday falls on a bank holiday, employee deposits will be delayed for a day.
- Peanut butter
He brings a peanut butter jelly sandwich to work every day.
- Per capita
The per capita income of this country is the lowest in the world.
- Prime minister
If a prime minister resigns, an interim PM is appointed until the general election.
- Real estate
Investing in real estate offers a steady income and high dividend.
- Remote control
The remote control doesn’t work; it needs new batteries.
- Report card
His parents weren’t happy when they saw his school report card.
- Rib cage
Intercostal muscles contract to raise the rib cage upward and outward, allowing air into the lungs.
- Role model
Unlike his biological father, his stepfather is someone he can look up to as a role model.
- Roller coaster
I don’t have the stomach to go on the new roller coaster ride.
- Search engine
Keywords help a search engine identify the topics that your content is covering.
- Test drive
Always take a car for a test drive before buying it.
- Theme park
The Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando is the largest theme park in the world.
- Time capsule
They dug out a time capsule in their backyard that was buried 100 years ago.
- Upper crust
The upper crust travels by private car, not public transportation.
- Vacuum cleaner
The only thing my giant guard dog is scared of is the vacuum cleaner.
- Vending machine
I wanted to get us coffee, but the vending machine was broken.
- Video game
Ubisoft is currently working on a new video game from the Elder Scrolls franchise.
- Voice mail
He’s unavailable; the call goes straight to voicemail.
- Waiting room
To the right, there’s a spacious waiting room with chairs and magazines to kill time with.
- Washing machine
Make sure not to overload the washing machine, or the laundry might not come out clean.
- Web page
This web page takes forever to load due to all the large, unoptimized images.
- Bow Tie
The new CEO prefers to wear a bow tie rather than a necktie to complete his work outfit.
- Cave In
The earthquake was so strong that I thought the ground below me would cave in.
- Christmas Tree
Mom and I will look for the perfect Christmas tree tomorrow.
- Course Work
Agatha’s English professor gives her a lot of course work to pass the semester.
- Fine Art
There are many antiques and fine art in the new museum.
- Grand Jury
The grand jury will hear the testimony of all the witnesses in the case this week.
- Jigsaw Puzzle
This world map jigsaw puzzle is so big that it will take some time to complete.
- Labor Day
In the US, we celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday of September.
- Life Vest
A life vest and life jacket have the same primary purpose – to prevent you from drowning.
- Movie Theater
Liam plans to ask Cleo out on a date to the movie theater.
- Outer Space
The little boy asks his dad if he can buy him a spacecraft so he can go to outer space.
- Photo ID
Here’s the application form, and please do not forget to attach a clear photo ID before submitting it.
- Post Office
There is a notice that my parcel will arrive at the post office tomorrow.
- Role Play
Role play is a technique often used in training to allow the participants to gain an understanding of someone else’s point of view.
- Sweet Tooth
My little sister has a sweet tooth. Give her a box of chocolates, and she will love you.
- Tennis Shoes
This new pair of tennis shoes is from my supportive parents, whom I love the most.
- Living Room
Let’s all go through to the living room and sit easy.
Compound Verbs
A compound verb comprises two separate regular verbs to describe an action. Usually, compound verbs come under open compound words.
- Ask Out
“Mia, is he the one you want to ask out?”
- Blow Up
His enemies will do everything to blow up his plan.
- Call Off
It’s best to call off the outdoor event if it continues to rain.
- Drop Out
Many students drop out of school due to financial, personal, and social issues.
- Fill Up
Students who wish to join must fill up the form and submit it to their professors today.
- Get Away
I promise you’ll never get away with your crimes!
- Pass Away
It’s a harrowing thought, but many will pass away because of the super typhoon.
- Sort Out
It’s time to sort out your things and just keep the essential items.
- Take Off
The airplane will take off soon, hurry!
Hyphenated Compound Words
As the name suggests, hyphenated compound words feature a hyphen between the words (i.e., last-minute).
Typically, compound words are written with a hyphen when they function as adjectives or verbs, as well as when you want to avoid ambiguity in sense or sound.
- Cross-section
They showed us a cross-section of the building they’re working on.
- Brother-in-law
He loves his nieces and nephews, but he can’t stand his brother-in-law.
- Cold-blooded
A snake is a cold-blooded animal, meaning it doesn’t autoregulate its body temperature.
- Co-op
A farmer-owned co-op can play an important role in developing a local food infrastructure.
- Ear-splitting
He likes to blast his speakers at ear-splitting levels to annoy his neighbors.
- Editor-in-chief
After many years of working in the newspapers, Julie has finally become an editor-in-chief.
- Empty-handed
It’s practically impossible to leave an IKEA store empty-handed.
- Far-fetched
That claim seems a bit far-fetched, as the analysis was based on a single source.
- Forget-me-not
In the wild, forget-me-not best thrives in shady woodlands and around riverbanks.
- Half-baked
I’m sorry, but that half-baked plan is never going to work.
- High-rise
This neighborhood has just a few high-rise buildings.
- Ill-advised
You would be ill-advised to accept that offer.
- Jack-in-the-box
The kid started crying when he popped up out of nowhere like a jack-in-the-box.
- Know-it-all
If you’re such a know-it-all, then why don’t you do it yourself, then?
- Last-minute
She is doing a last-minute revision of her project.
- Law-abiding
For the most part, they’re law-abiding people who pay their taxes on time.
- Light-year
The closest star is about four light-years away from the Earth.
- Long-term
Owning a dog is a long-term commitment, so think about it before getting one.
- Make-believe
Anyone with half a brain will see through his make-believe stories.
- Mind-blowing
The first single from this album is mind-blowing, both in terms of lyrics and melody.
- Nitty-gritty
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and figure out how to solve the issue.
- One-on-one
The company will conduct one-on-one meetings with every employee.
- One-sided
Unfortunately, the argument is too one-sided, we need to hear the other perspective.
- Over-the-counter
While you can get over-the-counter antibiotics, you should consult with a medical professional first to receive a precise diagnosis and treatment.
- Pitter-patter
It was quiet, aside from the gentle pitter-patter of rain on the window.
- Runner-up
He was twice a runner-up in the US championship.
- Self-control
Jack remained calm and exhibited self-control despite their teasing.
- So-called
Those were his so-called friends who turned their back on him when he needed them the most.
- Stick-in-the-mud
His being such a stick-in-the-mud will cause him many issues in socializing.
- V-necked
She’s wearing a shirt underneath a V-necked sweater.
- Walk-in
The master bedroom doesn’t have to be huge, but it needs to have a walk-in closet for all my clothes and shoes.
- Warm-up
A warm-up before exercise is essential to avoid injuring yourself.
- Well-being
Prioritizing physical activity, even if it’s just a short exercise, can make a difference in your overall well-being.
- Y-shaped
He has found the perfect Y-shaped branch to create a slingshot.
- A-frame
Unlike what other people say, the A-frame house is not cheap to build, but it is durable.
- Check-in
According to the hotel’s policy, we must check-in at two in the afternoon.
- Father-in-law
My father-in-law is celebrating his birthday on Sunday, here’s your invitation!
- High-tech
I’m jealous of my friend’s home appliances because everything is high-tech and expensive.
- In-depth
Owners of high-rise condominiums expect contractors to provide in-depth monitoring during project completion.
- King-size
Except for the width, a queen and a king-size bed have the same length of 80 inches.
- Life-size
What if we give her a life-size standee of her favorite celebrity?
- Merry-go-round
The little boy has been waiting for his turn at the merry-go-round for hours despite his mother coaxing him to try tomorrow.
- On-site
We need to get to your first on-site filming location early tomorrow.
- Self-service
We’ll eat at a self-service restaurant later, is that okay with you?
- Three-dimensional
The third participant has excellent skills in using three-dimensional effects in painting.
- U-turn
That U-turn slot is out of place and is likely to cause many accidents.
- Up-to-date
I like watching home design videos on YouTube to get up-to-date with the most innovative home ideas.
- Word-of-mouth
Word-of-mouth is their primary marketing strategy.
- X-ray
The doctor wants to see my X-ray results.
- Absent-minded
He becomes more absent-minded as his dementia progresses.
- Brown-eyed
Alexa’s newborn is a beautiful brown-eyed baby.
- Full-length
It’ll be great if I can paint the frame of my full-length mirror green, so it matches the colors of my room.
- English-speaking
He can just ask around if ever he gets lost. He’s an English-speaking visitor.
- Good-looking
Jay is tall, dark, and quite good-looking.
- Hard-working
Gia is a very hard-working person, and she deserves a rest.
- Long-lasting
The accident caused her to suffer long-lasting psychological damage.
- Mouth-watering
There are lots of mouth-watering sweets in the buffet!
- Part-time:
He needs to get a part-time job to earn money.
- Time-saving
Mom likes to purchase items with time-saving features.
- World-famous
June dreams of being a world-famous singer someday.
Are you concerned about writing incomplete sentences? Check out our guide to sentence fragments for writers.
