surround
Americanverb (used with object)
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surrounds,
present (3rd person singular)
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surrounded,
past participle, past
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surrounding
present participle
noun
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something that surrounds, as the area, border, etc., around an object or central space.
a tile surround for the shower stall.
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environment or setting.
The designer created a Persian surround for the new restaurant.
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Hunting.
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a means of hunting in which wild animals are encircled and chased into a special spot that makes their escape impossible.
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the act of hunting by this means.
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the location encircled by hunters using this means.
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verb
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to encircle or enclose or cause to be encircled or enclosed
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to deploy forces on all sides of (a place or military formation), so preventing access or retreat
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to exist around
I dislike the people who surround her
noun
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a border, esp the area of uncovered floor between the walls of a room and the carpet or around an opening or panel
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a method of capturing wild beasts by encircling the area in which they are believed to be
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the area so encircled
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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surroundsimple
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surroundssimple
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have surroundedperfect
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has surroundedperfect
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am surroundingprogressive
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are surroundingprogressive
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is surroundingprogressive
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have been surroundingperfect progressive
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has been surroundingperfect progressive
Past
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surroundedsimple
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had surroundedperfect
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was surroundingprogressive
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were surroundingprogressive
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had been surroundingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of surround
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English surounden “to inundate, submerge,” from Anglo-French surounder, Middle French s(o)ronder, from Late Latin superundāre “to overflow,” equivalent to Latin super- super- + undāre “to flood,” derivative of unda “wave” ( see undulate); current spelling by analysis as sur- 1 + round 1 (verb)
Explanation
When you think of the word surround, think of something that's around you on all sides, like the trees that surround you in a forest or the people who surround you on a city street at rush hour. Sometimes surround describes the position of troops that force the enemy to surrender. You can also surround your property with a fence, or surround yourself with positive people. Both of these offer a way to protect or strengthen the thing in the middle — your house or your well-being. In a movie theater that has "surround sound," the audience feels like it is in the middle of the action because of the speakers placed all around the space.
Vocabulary lists containing surround
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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.
See Examples For:
Other key questions for the call will surround the sustainability of its life and health segment performance, the analysts add.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
He said the affected area had been split into two main zones, west and east, to surround and contain the fire.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Syrsky led the defence of Kyiv when Russia tried to surround the city in the first days of its invasion.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Questions continue to surround the free passage of ships through the strait, with Bloomberg reporting Friday that Oman had told European officials that ships may be charged some fees to transit the waterway.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026
The outside noises of cars pulling up and people yelling “See you tomorrow!” surround me, but I am buffered by earmuffs, an island on the steps.
From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari
Brook has occasionally done himself no favours, but there is also something uncomfortable about the narrative that surrounds the 27-year-old, especially in a sport that struggles with elitism.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The outbreak is a reminder of one of the persistent questions that surrounds lettuce: Do I need to rinse my “triple-washed” lettuce?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Controversy again surrounds the Dodgers’ trip to the White House.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
To answer that question, they measured DHA levels in cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 29, 2026
Sam is rather smitten, and he surrounds Margaret with the sweet quicksand of his love.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
One was of a place I’d been hearing about for years: a sleepy beach town surrounded by several others, an area beloved by fashion insiders, artists and nature lovers alike.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
For Codona, who is now living a quieter life, surrounded by his family, there is "no incentive in the planning system" for enough sites to be approved.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Now 60, I have outlived my mother, and I’m also surrounded by young people — my two daughters and my students — just as my parents were on their long-distance adventures.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
"When we see something very red in the universe, we often assume that it is surrounded by dust, like soot or ash," Simcoe explains.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026
He’d been alone in the dark, surrounded by shadows and whispers.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
The spokesperson said the incident remained under investigation but provided no further details on the circumstances surrounding the crash.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
The details surrounding her death were not immediately available.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Researchers also plan to examine Webb's extensive archive to create a broader census of little red dots and investigate how their surrounding environments influence their evolution.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
People from Washington, D.C., and the surrounding suburbs have opted for Baltimore as a more affordable alternative.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 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.
