surrounded

[ suh-roun-did ]

adjective

1. (of troops, a fort or town, etc.) encircled or hemmed in by enemies on all sides so as to cut off communication or retreat:

   Only a few of the surrounded infantrymen survived, escaping in the darkness of the early morning.

2. enclosed or shut in on all sides, as by a barrier or border, desert or mountains, etc. (usually used in combination):

   The huge master bedroom features a granite-surrounded whirlpool tub.

   The surrounded parcel of land is provided with road access by a right-of-way through one of the encircling properties.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of surround.

Other Words From

• un·sur·round·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of surrounded¹

First recorded in 1590–1600, for an earlier sense; surround ( def ) + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective senses; surround ( def ) + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Even the earliest home surround systems were prohibitively expensive and relied on connections that required complex installation, long wire runs, and plenty of hole drilling.

From Popular-Science

The main factor to consider when choosing a soundbar system with surround sound should be whether it fits your space and where each speaker will sit.

From Popular-Science

If you’re tech-oriented and want something more cutting edge, consider a smart home-capable soundbar or a surround sound system to take your home to the next level.

From Popular-Science

They are made in a social setting, surrounded by lots of other people with various ways to resist bad decisions.

From The Daily Beast

The inauguration had to be held in the fortified Kremlin, surrounded by an eerily quiet city.

From The Daily Beast

Another picture showed him surrounded by a dozen or so fighters—some masked and others laughing.

From The Daily Beast

At the end of the hearing Gruber walked out silently, surrounded by cameras and accompanied by his lawyer.

From The Daily Beast

Especially not when the display in question includes an angel falling from the sky in flames, surrounded by Biblical verses.

From The Daily Beast

Each is surrounded by a gelatinous capsule, which is its distinctive feature (Fig. 9).

From Project Gutenberg

His little band was almost immediately surrounded by the enemy.

From Project Gutenberg

The great park which surrounded it was one of the most celebrated in all England, celebrated alike for its size and its beauty.

From Project Gutenberg

The churchyard was partly surrounded by houses, and in 1781 "iron pallisadoes" were affixed to the wall.

From Project Gutenberg

Isabel's imagination dilated him into a disembodied intellect surrounded by mere statues of human flesh.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ringed