- present participle of surround.
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.
Turk said the lack of transparency and clarity surrounding the circumstances of the deaths undermines accountability.
From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026
The capital Caracas and its surrounding areas have seen some of the worst damage.
From BBC • Jun. 25, 2026
The area surrounding the warehouse is home to at least 31,700 workers, roughly 8 in 10 of whom are Latino, according to a data analysis by researchers at UCLA.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026
At the time, however, the court didn’t explain its reasoning or resolve the broader legal issues surrounding the policy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
Through the surrounding trees, it sounds more like a scream.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
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.
