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

But perhaps having a chance of playing in the second tier next season among familiar surroundings might be what he needs to make an impact.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

It showed penguins, fur seals and polar bears attempting to adapt to their ever-changing surroundings, against the backdrop of glaciers and arctic volcanoes.

From BBC • May 8, 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

Among the initiatives he oversees is the creation of a digital twin of Weyerhaeuser’s timberlands using satellite imagery, drone photography and lidar, a laser-based sensor technology that self-driving cars use to map their surroundings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

When a gust yanks the handle out of her grasp, she decides to batten down the hatches, latching it behind her and inspecting her surroundings via phone flashlight.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

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