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.

---

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”; surround, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

"This incident not only left him seriously injured in hospital but had a huge impact on the residents and the community of Eden Street and the surrounding area."

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Even this localized change triggered activity in multiple surrounding astrocytes, showing how signals can spread through the brain's network.

From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026

While some surrounding development may go ahead, the cube is stalled, with hopes for funding pushed years into the future, officials say.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

By clearing encampments, Inside Safe also benefits the surrounding community, making sidewalks more accessible and reducing the number of encampment fires, Bass said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

Because when the crowd turned back to the ocean, they saw that the poison tide was spreading through the water and slowly surrounding the island.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

Related Words

• neighboring