surrounding
Americannoun
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something that surrounds.
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surroundings, environing things, circumstances, conditions, etc.; environment.
He was too sick to be aware of his surroundings.
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the act of encircling or enclosing.
adjective
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enclosing or encircling.
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being the environment or adjacent area.
Synonym Usage
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The public filled that tree on day one — and then spread their wishes to the surrounding trees, all of which are now part of the artwork.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Winding back 166 million years, Nichols said the area surrounding the tracks would have been "a really lovely tropical, kind of lush environment".
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Scientists believe they absorbed nutrients directly from the surrounding seawater.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
Americans searching for reasons to believe that we can repair our democracy should pay attention to Maine today, and not just for the controversy surrounding Democrat Graham Platner in the U.S.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
There were maybe 200 in my group, from my village and several surrounding villages, ages 12 to 22.
From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola
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.
