surroundings

British  

/ səˈraʊndɪŋz /

plural noun

1. the conditions, scenery, etc, around a person, place, or thing; environment

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Explanation

Your surroundings are the things all around you. When you park your car in a huge lot, paying attention to your surroundings can help you find the car again later. You can use the noun surroundings to mean the nearby environment — all of the objects close by, as well as the location itself — and also the circumstances or conditions where you are. When someone builds a house, the surroundings will help determine which direction it will face and how many windows it will have. Surroundings stems from surround, "be all around," but originally "flood or overflow."

Example Sentences

This outer coating helps cells interact with their surroundings and may also provide important clues about what is happening inside the cell itself.

From Science Daily • May 18, 2026

Fresh from declaring a "new dawn" beckoned for Wales but unable to get into his Cardiff flat late at night, ap Iorwerth then spent the evening in the budget hotel chain's modest surroundings.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Researchers believe this strange asymmetry could be caused by active processes within the system, such as fresh material falling into the disk or interactions with nearby surroundings.

From Science Daily • May 12, 2026

“To get a chance to walk in here and just feel this and see all of these surroundings and the things that took place in this venue is pretty special,” Chesney said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2026

“I have been in the most malodorous surroundings imaginable and feel the need to be thoroughly scrubbed.”

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• ambience
• atmosphere
• background
• climate
• environment
• environs
• location
• milieu
• mise en scène
• neighborhood
• setting