surround
verb (used with object)
to enclose on all sides; encompass.
were surrounding
-
past progressiveof surround.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
I saw all the units that were surrounding him and asked, “What is this?”
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
“He was just chasing after him and then there were five police cars that came and they were surrounding him,” she said as she waited outside the school for a bus.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 20, 2023
When the son looked through a window, he saw that multiple officers of the Wyoming Police Department were surrounding the house with their guns drawn.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 10, 2021
“UTPD escorted us away from the scene because of how many people were surrounding us, and that’s how we got out,” Dolcefino said.
From Fox News ● Oct. 3, 2018
But I had to stop a few steps away — a crowd of people, all boys, were surrounding it.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
