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

Planters started anew in central Florida, in Polk County and its surroundings, what’s known as the Ridge, the highest part of Florida, and the only part that was never below sea level, historically.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

According to the nonprofit Owl Research Institute, this stage is known as fledgling, when young birds leave the nest before they are fully capable of flight and begin exploring their surroundings.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

This occurs when quantum bits, or qubits, lose their information due to interactions with their surroundings.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

Jalal Haidar, a Lebanese-American who took over as the airport's chief operating officer two months ago, also expressed full confidence in the airport, its surroundings and the airspace.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

Jack is squinting and scrolling slowly, his brow furrowed in concentration; Mom is taking pictures of our surroundings.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

Related Words

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