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.
The ceasefire - the longest since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 - allowed hundreds of people trapped in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky and its surroundings to be evacuated.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
The atoms were confined inside a carefully controlled quantum system designed to remain isolated from its surroundings.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026
Its buildings, made of limestone, glass, cedar slats and copper, blend with their surroundings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Colón Angueira’s walks typically begin with this sort of grounding exercise, she explained, helping clients slow down and become more aware of their surroundings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
Sometimes what appears to be a leaf or stick in the rain forest is really an insect, fooling a would-be predator by blending in with its surroundings.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
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