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.
Those have AI-computing capabilities but none of the hype surrounding Nvidia.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
Focus on the Family, Family Research Council and California Family Council have invested years and millions of dollars into messaging, advocacy and legal efforts surrounding the issue.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026
Researchers say sand mining and groundwater depletion have weakened its ability to cool the surrounding landscape, creating a vicious cycle in which water scarcity and extreme temperatures reinforce one another.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
"To ensure the safety and well-being of all residents, a mandatory curfew for a half-mile area surrounding Delaney Hall is being implemented, effective immediately," Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement.
From Barron's • May 31, 2026
It appears that every able-bodied man in the surrounding area has been summoned to the Temple of the Sun.
From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman
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.
