surrounded

American  

[suh-roun-did] / səˈraʊn dɪd /

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.

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• unsurrounded adjective

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

Example Sentences

While not framed as a direct response to the earlier controversy, the casting offers a quiet rebuttal to the narrative that once surrounded him.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

The result is a world surrounded by frictionless experiences that mask systems that we neither understand nor control.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

At the lower Rangpo area, close to the Teesta River, only a mosque remains, surrounded by piles of sand, some reaching the height of its roof.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Her family said she died peacefully at a hospice surrounded by "cherished friends", but no cause of death was given.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

That there’s a big stone-and-wood building surrounded by acres of land in the northern part of New York State.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Related Words

• ringed