surroundings
Britishplural noun
Explanation
Your surroundings are the things all around you. When you park your car in a huge lot, paying attention to your surroundings can help you find the car again later. You can use the noun surroundings to mean the nearby environment — all of the objects close by, as well as the location itself — and also the circumstances or conditions where you are. When someone builds a house, the surroundings will help determine which direction it will face and how many windows it will have. Surroundings stems from surround, "be all around," but originally "flood or overflow."
Vocabulary lists containing surroundings
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He stayed calm and still, quickly scanning his surroundings for other grizzlies.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
They should also match their surroundings, blending in with colleagues.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
Lopez will have ample opportunity to enjoy the verdant surroundings in Hidden Hills, courtesy of her new home’s “lushly landscaped private grounds,” which include “spectacular orchards with multiple fruit trees,” as well as staggering views.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
The Eagles showed no signs of feeling sorry for themselves when starting the new season by defeating Premier League champions Liverpool in the Community Shield in the now-familiar surroundings of Wembley.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Ophie’s slow pace through the house gave her time to study her surroundings a bit more than she had earlier that morning.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
