150 Compound Words: List & Examples

Have you ever wondered why “notebook” is one word, but “ice cream” is two?

Or why “mother-in-law” needs all those hyphens?

If you’re learning English—or even teaching it—compound words can feel like a puzzle where all the pieces look the same but fit together in different ways.

Don’t worry—you’re not alone.

I’ve taught English for over a decade, and compound words trip up students at all levels.

But once you learn how to recognize them and understand the patterns, they become some of the most fun words in the language.

In this post, we’ll explore what compound words are, look at 150 common examples, and see how they work in real-life contexts.

Whether you’re a student, teacher, parent, or lifelong learner, I will help you master compound words with confidence.

What Are Compound Words?

Let’s start simple.

A compound word is made by joining two or more words together to create a new word with its own meaning.

Here’s an example:

Sun + flower = Sunflower (a type of plant, not just the sun and a flower next to each other)

The parts make sense individually, but when joined, they create something new.

The 3 Types of Compound Words

Over the years, I’ve noticed students often think all compound words are written the same way.

Not true!

There are three main types:

1. Closed Compound Words

These are written as one word.

Examples: toothbrush, bedroom, football

2. Open Compound Words

These are written as two separate words, but they function as one meaning.

Examples: ice cream, post office, living room

3. Hyphenated Compound Words

These are connected with hyphens.

Examples: mother-in-law, part-time, self-esteem

💡 Teacher Tip: Sometimes compound words change as they become more common. For example, “website” used to be “web site” before people started writing it as one word.

Why Do Compound Words Matter?

If you’ve ever written “anymore” when you meant “any more,” you already know the answer.

Compound words can change meaning, affect grammar, and even confuse readers if used incorrectly.

As a teacher, I’ve seen even advanced students mix up:

Everyday (an adjective: everyday problems) vs. Every day (each day: I drink coffee every day)

Learning how to spot and use compound words correctly can make your writing clearer, your speaking stronger, and your vocabulary richer.

150 Common Compound Words (with Examples)

Let’s dive into the list now. I’ve organized them by type to make it easier to follow.

🔹 A. Closed Compound Words

These are some of the most common and easy to spot.

Compound Word	Example Sentence
Notebook	I wrote the poem in my notebook.
Toothbrush	Don’t forget to pack your toothbrush.
Haircut	He got a fresh haircut yesterday.
Bedroom	My bedroom has blue walls.
Football	We played football in the park.
Sunlight	The room is full of sunlight.
Raincoat	She wore a yellow raincoat.
Cupcake	I baked chocolate cupcakes.
Newspaper	I read the newspaper every morning.
Skateboard	He rides his skateboard to school.
Teaspoon	Add one teaspoon of sugar.
Handshake	They greeted each other with a handshake.
Backpack	Her backpack is full of books.
Password	Don’t share your password with anyone.
Makeup	She put on her makeup quickly.
Highway	We drove along the highway.
Moonlight	The moonlight lit up the garden.
Deadline	The project deadline is tomorrow.
Keyboard	My keyboard is wireless.
Starfish	We saw a starfish on the beach.

🔹 B. Open Compound Words

These are still compound words—even though they’re two separate words.

Compound Word	Example Sentence
Ice cream	I love chocolate ice cream.
Living room	We watched a movie in the living room.
Post office	I went to the post office to mail a letter.
High school	She teaches at a local high school.
Full moon	The full moon was bright last night.
Real estate	He works in real estate.
Peanut butter	I had a peanut butter sandwich.
Coffee table	I spilled tea on the coffee table.
Fire station	The fire station is two blocks away.
Swimming pool	The hotel has a large swimming pool.
Bus stop	I waited at the bus stop.
Baby shower	We threw her a baby shower.
Dinner table	The family sat around the dinner table.
Parking lot	The parking lot was full.
Cell phone	She forgot her cell phone at home.
Water bottle	He always carries a water bottle.
Credit card	I paid with a credit card.
Car seat	Make sure the baby is in the car seat.
Lemon juice	Add lemon juice to the dressing.
Office chair	My office chair is very comfortable.

🔹 C. Hyphenated Compound Words

These are especially common in formal writing or compound adjectives.

Compound Word	Example Sentence
Mother-in-law	My mother-in-law is visiting.
Part-time	She has a part-time job.
Brother-in-law	My brother-in-law is funny.
Runner-up	He was the runner-up in the contest.
Well-known	She’s a well-known artist.
Up-to-date	Keep your software up-to-date.
Self-esteem	He has low self-esteem.
Twenty-one	She just turned twenty-one.
Check-in	I arrived at the check-in counter.
Long-term	This is a long-term solution.
All-inclusive	We booked an all-inclusive resort.
Old-fashioned	I like old-fashioned movies.
Editor-in-chief	She’s the editor-in-chief of the magazine.
Eye-opener	That article was a real eye-opener.
Open-minded	He’s very open-minded about other cultures.
T-shirt	I bought a new T-shirt.
State-of-the-art	The lab has state-of-the-art equipment.
English-speaking	It’s an English-speaking country.
Full-time	She’s a full-time student.
Life-size	The statue is life-size.

🔹 D. Mixed Compound Words (Used Often in Everyday English)

These can fall into any category but are commonly used.

Compound Word	Example Sentence
Babysitter	We hired a babysitter for the evening.
Bookstore	I found a great novel at the bookstore.
Firefighter	Firefighters saved the building.
Airport	The airport was very busy.
Toothpaste	I bought mint toothpaste.
Hairbrush	Where’s my hairbrush?
Notebook	This notebook is full of ideas.
Birthday	Happy birthday to you!
Snowball	The kids had a snowball fight.
Mailbox	Check the mailbox, please.
Newspaper	He writes for the local newspaper.
Classroom	The classroom was quiet.
Homework	I finished my homework.
Laptop	Her laptop battery died.
Playground	The kids are at the playground.
Rainstorm	We got caught in a rainstorm.
Seashell	She collected a seashell from the beach.
Sidewalk	The sidewalk is icy.
Doorbell	The doorbell rang twice.
Sunglasses	Don’t forget your sunglasses!

🧠 How I Teach Compound Words in the Classroom

Over the years, I’ve found that visuals and context help a lot. I often:

Draw two words on the board, like “rain” and “coat,” and ask students what happens when we join them.
Use real objects (a toothbrush, sunglasses, a backpack).
Play matching games or compound word bingo.
Encourage story writing using 5–10 compound words from a list.

📌 Tip for Teachers: Keep compound words grouped by type (closed, open, hyphenated) so students can start spotting patterns.

🧐 Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even native speakers mess up with compound words.

Here are a few tricky ones:

Everyday vs. Every day
- Everyday is an adjective: “These are my everyday shoes.”
- Every day means “each day”: “I walk every day.”
A lot is never one word like “alot” (common mistake!).
Anyone vs. Any one
- “Anyone” = any person
- “Any one” = any individual thing (used for emphasis)

📚 Further Reading:
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary and Merriam-Webster both have great searchable compound word lists if you ever get stuck.

✅ How to Master Compound Words (Tips for Learners)

Read more!
Exposure helps you internalize how compound words are written and used.
Make your own list.
Keep a vocabulary journal. When you spot a new compound word, write it down with an example.
Practice writing.
Use compound words in sentences or short stories. That’s when they stick.
Quiz yourself.
Apps like Quizlet or a simple matching activity can be super helpful.
Teach someone else.
Explaining a compound word to someone—even a child—is a great way to reinforce what you’ve learned.

📝 In Conclusion

Once you start noticing them, compound words are like hidden treasures in everyday English.

They help you say more with less, paint vivid pictures, and tighten your writing.

I’ve used them in the classroom, in emails, in stories—even when texting my friends (“lunchbox drama” is real when you have school-aged kids).

The good news? You don’t have to memorize all of them.

Just start noticing them, practice using them, and keep adding to your mental word bank.

So next time you write about a snowstorm, don’t just describe the snow—use the right compound word and watch your writing come alive. 🌨️

Got a favorite compound word?

Drop it in the comments! Or better yet—try writing a short paragraph using 5 compound words from today’s list.

Let’s keep learning together.

150 Compound Words: List & Examples