Composition definition: the act of combining parts or elements to form a whole.. See examples of COMPOSITION used in a sentence. Explore the complete meaning of "composition" with expert definitions, real-world usage examples, synonyms, antonyms, and visual aids. Perfect for students, writers, and language learners. Composition can encompass different domains, including writing, music, art, and photography. In the context of writing, composition refers to the creation of a written work, such as an essay, story, or poem, where ideas, thoughts, and information are organized and expressed in a coherent and meaningful manner. Composition Definition Just like a musician and an artist, a writer sets the tone of a composition to his or her purpose, making decisions about what that tone should be to form a structure. A writer might express anything from the point of view of cool logic to impassioned anger. A composition could use clean and simple prose, flowery, descriptive passages, or analytical nomenclature.