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.
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A 2006 study found that radiation at the site may have contributed to hundreds of cases of cancer in the surrounding community.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
Current models suggest rocky planets form near stars because intense radiation strips away gas surrounding developing planetary cores.
From Science Daily • May 21, 2026
Santos noted that the rules surrounding industrial action varied widely from country to country -- whether emergency services were excluded, for example.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
The shipping and delivery confusion surrounding the T1 mobile phone is just one part of the story for a device marred in controversy.
From Salon • May 21, 2026
The many faults surrounding Japan are constantly slipping.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
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.
