surrounding

American  

[suh-roun-ding] / səˈraʊn dɪŋ /

noun

1. something that surrounds.

2. surroundings, environing things, circumstances, conditions, etc.; environment.

   He was too sick to be aware of his surroundings.

3. the act of encircling or enclosing.

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adjective

1. enclosing or encircling.

2. being the environment or adjacent area.

Related Words

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

Among the many questions surrounding the incident, two felt the most urgent on Friday night: How long will the evacuation last?

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

In a sign of the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the talks, Trump also told another US outlet, Axios, on Saturday that the chances of a deal were a "solid 50/50".

From Barron's • May 23, 2026

The biggest test could come on the second day of Hajj, when pilgrims gather for prayer and repentance at Mount Arafat, a granite hill and surrounding plains at the edge of Mecca.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

The sanctions come as Tanzania continues to investigate reports of political repression and abuses surrounding the general election held last October.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Now that unit 2 was clearly in trouble, operators figured it was only a matter of time before the building surrounding it, like the ones that housed units 1 and 3, exploded.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

• neighboring