surrounded
Americanadjective
-
(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.
-
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
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of surrounded
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
Explanation
Are there people on every side of you, giving you no way to escape? Then you're surrounded. Sorry to hear it! Being surrounded is one way of being trapped, but it's a trap caused by other people. On TV shows, you'll often hear police officers say to a criminal: "Come out with your hands up. You're surrounded!" If a criminal is surrounded, then the police have every exit covered — there are police on all sides. If you look closely at surrounded, you'll see round in it — just picture that round circle trapping someone in, and you will remember the meaning of surrounded.
Vocabulary lists containing surrounded
"In the Spotlight," Vocabulary from the informational text
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The Road to Freedom
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"Mexico City"
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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.
There was a comforting nostalgia in watching her surrounded by tchotchkes, radiating the loose, warm confidence that made “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” such a phenomenon in the 1990s.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
“This extraordinary European estate has been maintained in immaculate condition and is surrounded by impeccably landscaped grounds,” Mills said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
The arena is surrounded by parking lots, which are used for weekend swap meets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
A coyote is bathed in red light; a cougar stalks near a grand piano; a man stands in a tropical jungle surrounded by mist; a pay phone off the hook dangles by its cord.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Skinny as I was, I didn’t want to take any chances, so I didn’t go far—just far enough to be surrounded by tall trees where no one from The Village would see me.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
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.
