1. pressing or squeezing something together to make it smaller, denser, or more solid
Usage: present participle of compact

1. the process of making something more dense or tightly packed
Usage: gerund form

Examples

• The machine is compacting the trash into small cubes.
• Workers are compacting the soil before laying the foundation.
• The compacting of snow makes it easier to walk on.
• She watched the compacting process at the recycling center.
• The road crew is compacting the gravel with heavy rollers.
• Compacting the files will save storage space on your computer.
• The compacting of sediment takes millions of years.