surround

American  

[suh-round] / səˈraʊnd /

verb (used with object)

1. to enclose on all sides; encompass.

   She was surrounded by reporters.

2. to form an enclosure around; encircle.

   A stone wall surrounds the estate.

3. to enclose (a body of troops, a fort or town, etc.) so as to cut off communication or retreat.

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noun

1. something that surrounds, as the area, border, etc., around an object or central space.

   a tile surround for the shower stall.

2. environment or setting.

   The designer created a Persian surround for the new restaurant.

3. Hunting.

   1. a means of hunting in which wild animals are encircled and chased into a special spot that makes their escape impossible.

   2. the act of hunting by this means.

   3. the location encircled by hunters using this means.

surround British  

/ səˈraʊnd /

verb

1. to encircle or enclose or cause to be encircled or enclosed

2. to deploy forces on all sides of (a place or military formation), so preventing access or retreat

3. to exist around

   I dislike the people who surround her

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noun

1. a border, esp the area of uncovered floor between the walls of a room and the carpet or around an opening or panel

2. 1. a method of capturing wild beasts by encircling the area in which they are believed to be

   2. the area so encircled

Other Word Forms

• presurround
  verb (used with object)
• surrounding
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of surround

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English surounden “to inundate, submerge,” from Anglo-French surounder, Middle French s(o)ronder, from Late Latin superundāre “to overflow,” equivalent to Latin super- super- + undāre “to flood,” derivative of unda “wave” ( see undulate); current spelling by analysis as sur- ¹ + round ¹ (verb)

Explanation

When you think of the word surround, think of something that's around you on all sides, like the trees that surround you in a forest or the people who surround you on a city street at rush hour. Sometimes surround describes the position of troops that force the enemy to surrender. You can also surround your property with a fence, or surround yourself with positive people. Both of these offer a way to protect or strengthen the thing in the middle — your house or your well-being. In a movie theater that has "surround sound," the audience feels like it is in the middle of the action because of the speakers placed all around the space.

Example Sentences

Surround yourself with greatness, surround yourself with greatness.

From Salon • Jan. 5, 2025

Surround them with the woodsy scent of fir balsam, cedar, juniper, sap and pine needle and damp moss in these charcoal incense cones in a black tin.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 16, 2023

Surround the pair with shooters, and on offense Porzingis gets to work in more space and operate more off catch-and-shoots and dribble handoffs, which Unseld likes.

From Washington Post • Jan. 5, 2023

Surround yourself with people who do care for your well-being.

From New York Times • Mar. 25, 2022

Surround, sur-rownd′, v.t. to go round about; to encompass, environ: to cut off from communication or retreat.—n.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various

Related Words

• besiege
• circle
• envelop
• inundate
• ring