compact

Small and neatly arranged, with everything needed fitting into little space.

• We bought a compact car.
• The apartment has a compact kitchen.
• This camera is compact enough for my pocket.

Similar words: space-saving, small

Opposites: bulky

Common phrases: compact car, compact design, compact kitchen, compact camera

Expressed in few words while still containing the main ideas.

• She gave a compact summary.
• His compact account covers the main events.
• The argument is compact but convincing.

Similar words: concise, brief, succinct

Opposites: wordy, verbose

Common phrases: compact account, compact summary, compact prose

A small case holding face powder and usually a mirror.

• She opened her compact.
• The silver compact fits in my bag.
• He gave her a compact with a tiny mirror.

Similar words: powder case

Common phrases: powder compact, open a compact, compact mirror

An agreement between people, groups, or countries.

• The leaders signed a compact.
• Their compact promised equal rights to both groups.
• Both sides agreed to honor the compact.

How to use it: a compact between A and B (The compact between the two states protected shared water supplies.); a compact with someone (The city made a compact with its neighbors.)

Similar words: agreement, pact, contract

Common phrases: sign a compact, compact between states, political compact

To press something together so it takes up less space.

• The machine compacts the waste.
• Heavy wheels compacted the wet soil.
• Compact the sand before laying the stones.

Similar words: compress, pack

Common phrases: compact the soil, compact the waste, compact something tightly