surround
Americanverb (used with object)
-
surrounds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
surrounded,
past participle, past
-
surrounding
present participle
noun
-
something that surrounds, as the area, border, etc., around an object or central space.
a tile surround for the shower stall.
-
environment or setting.
The designer created a Persian surround for the new restaurant.
-
Hunting.
-
a means of hunting in which wild animals are encircled and chased into a special spot that makes their escape impossible.
-
the act of hunting by this means.
-
the location encircled by hunters using this means.
-
verb
-
to encircle or enclose or cause to be encircled or enclosed
-
to deploy forces on all sides of (a place or military formation), so preventing access or retreat
-
to exist around
I dislike the people who surround her
noun
-
a border, esp the area of uncovered floor between the walls of a room and the carpet or around an opening or panel
-
-
a method of capturing wild beasts by encircling the area in which they are believed to be
-
the area so encircled
-
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
surroundsimple
-
surroundssimple
-
have surroundedperfect
-
has surroundedperfect
-
am surroundingprogressive
-
are surroundingprogressive
-
is surroundingprogressive
-
have been surroundingperfect progressive
-
has been surroundingperfect progressive
Past
-
surroundedsimple
-
had surroundedperfect
-
was surroundingprogressive
-
were surroundingprogressive
-
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
Poetry Cafe
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
myPerspectives 9.4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Words for Cheese Writers
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 issues surround the company, including constraints on computing power and tight competition with OpenAI, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026
Researchers at the LMS, Imperial and UCL wanted to understand where these cells are located in untreated tumors, what distinguishes them and which other cells tend to surround them.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 6, 2026
Significant interest will surround how far he can take Delap.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
His restaurant’s 20 seats surround an open kitchen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
They slowly cruised past the walls that surround the island where, for hundreds of years, the Venetians have buried their dead.
From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke
Nor is he satisfied with regularly televised Oval Office events, where he surrounds himself with administration officials singing hosannas to his greatness.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026
Be sure to check out Mendocino Headlands State Park, which nearly surrounds the village, and the Point Mendocino Trail.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
The cordon surrounds the scene, which is close to the fishing lake, and two camping tents - one of which is white with a navy blue trim - have been pitched.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
While controversy surrounds the embarrassingly blurry line between college football and the National Football League, our culture needs to take a moment to commend and steward the glorious tradition of high-school football.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
And there is also something else that surrounds us, the black cloud as well as the enormity.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
He noticed an unusually bright patch surrounded by a dark halo, a pattern suggesting that material on the lunar surface had recently been disturbed.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026
Pattison credits that to being surrounded by encouraging teachers and because of that the idea that it might be a male-centred workforce was not off-putting.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Hengyang was a serene location surrounded by hills and lotus ponds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The statement added that “Duncan passed away last night surrounded by love.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
A few yards away, the trees that surrounded Nova’s yard began to burst into flames.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
The department of justice said minister Naomi Long "remains deeply concerned surrounding compassionate temporary release of Gary Anderson and his subsequent absconding"
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
The area surrounding the fossil site has produced remains from numerous dinosaur groups, including sauropods, theropods, stegosaurs, and ornithopods.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
After all the hype surrounding Apple’s new folding iPhone Duo, personal tech columnist Nicole Nguyen test-drove its latest slate of releases.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
“The property manager has got to know the age of the roof, the plumbing, the elevator. Ask for information surrounding the condo,” Lester told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
The cold pipes chilled the surrounding soil, creating a barrier that would stop groundwater seeping in from the west.
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.
