Showing results for "encompassing"

• present participle of encompass.

encompassing

American  

[en-kuhm-puh-sing] / ɛnˈkʌm pə sɪŋ /

adjective

1. forming a circle around something; encircling or surrounding.

   She serves the whole Anchorage real estate market, including the encompassing communities.

2. comprehensively including, addressing, or dealing with all parts or aspects of something.

   Whether as a regular treatment or a special indulgence, your fully encompassing spa experience will leave you looking and feeling fantastic!

3. fully enclosing or enveloping something.

   As she looked out reflectively over the lake, the encompassing quiet was sliced by the shrill sound of her cell phone.

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noun

1. the act or state of surrounding, enclosing, or comprehensively including something.

   The term “diaspora” allows for the encompassing of a wider range of people and experiences than “immigrants.”

Etymology

Origin of encompassing

First recorded in 1565–75; encompass ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; encompass ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun sense

Explanation

Something that's encompassing completely encloses or surrounds something else. An island, for example, sits in the midst of encompassing ocean waves. The adjective encompassing can describe things that literally encircle something, and also things that are so extensive that they seem to do so. For example, an encompassing history of World War II would include everything about the period, including the Holocaust. Encompassing comes from the verb encompass, "surround and hold within," or "include comprehensively," from the roots en-, "put in," and compass, "space or circumference."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

encompassing

The region encompassing Europe, the Middle East and Africa has so far raised only $16 billion, flat compared with last year.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

Denning describes culture as encompassing values, norms, judgments, history, communities, moods, and even relationships involving power and care.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

In his statements, the ousted chair described a company that needed a cultural remake encompassing everything from its global business operations to its approach to expenses large and small.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

The property is surrounded by lush landscaping and features sophisticated stone flooring encompassing the pool.

From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026

There is a sense of power connected with such calculations which is hard to explain but which somehow involves a mental encompassing of the world.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

Related Words

• enveloping