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.
During the encounter, the spacecraft captured a series of images, including a striking view of the double-ring Huygens crater surrounded by the heavily cratered southern highlands of Mars.
From Science Daily • May 23, 2026
Base died "surrounded by family after a private battle with cancer" on Friday, just days after his 59th birthday, according to a post on his official Instagram account.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
Abdullah's daughter Hawaa Abdullah, surrounded by her seven siblings during a media appearance on Tuesday, said their father would want the community to stand together as one.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
This fall, the groups invited residents on a “toxic tour” along the fence line of the Parish plant and nearby Thompsons, which is surrounded by grazing cattle and pecan trees.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
It’s about two miles to my new home—a cottage with a thatched roof, surrounded by tall grass and gnarled apple trees.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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.
