surrounding
Americannoun
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something that surrounds.
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surroundings, environing things, circumstances, conditions, etc.; environment.
He was too sick to be aware of his surroundings.
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the act of encircling or enclosing.
adjective
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enclosing or encircling.
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being the environment or adjacent area.
Synonym Usage
See environment.
Etymology
Origin of surrounding
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English: literally “inundation”; see origin at surround, -ing 1, -ing 2
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.
This waiting period, known as “seasoning,” allows volatility surrounding a company’s IPO to fade and gives the market time to find a reasonable price.
From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026
As matter falls in, the surrounding spacetime cells record its imprint.
From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2026
It is unclear whether the men were known to the child, but suspicion and fear surrounding Ebola treatment centres have been rife during the current outbreak.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
“It is illegal and dangerous to walk on the roadways surrounding the stadium,” it says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
It was truly gargantuan—wide enough to fit Anya’s barn inside it, and twice as tall as the trees surrounding it.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
