as in surrounding
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1
as in circling
to travel completely around
communication satellites encircling the earth
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in encompassing
to form a circle around
immediately after announcing their engagement, the couple was encircled by their applauding friends
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encircling
Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026
Curve around the city on the Trout Run Trail, an 11-mile asphalt loop encircling the historic downtown.
—Sarah Miller, Midwest Living, 29 Apr. 2026
If your houseplant was severely pot-bound with encircling roots, trim the overgrown roots back by one-third.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026
In recent years, Beijing has stepped up military drills near Taiwan, even encircling the island by land, air and sea last year.
—Ashish Valentine, NPR, 7 Apr. 2026
The flower has a row of large outer petals (guard petals) encircling a center of petalodes or small, narrow yellow inner petals.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2026
Our beautiful encircling topography of mountains and hills is a bowl ready-made by ancient plate tectonics to be filled with smoke and smog.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
The rooms Spread over a handful of buildings encircling the central courtyard, Aleenta Retreat's 44 rooms range from spacious deluxe rooms with lounge-y balconies to two-story residences with two bedrooms and a small private courtyard with a plunge pool.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
Mercy Culture’s pastors hung a candidate’s banner behind the pulpit, endorsed politicians during Sunday services, said that people who vote for Democrats weren’t truly Christian, and described Kamala Harris as a demonic Jezebel taking the form of a snake encircling the White House.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
Existing storage facilities within Beijing’s Sixth Ring Road—an encircling expressway about 15 to 20 miles from the city center—are limited to storing a maximum of three drones or 10 core components while also being required to undergo police inspections.
—Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026
Curve around the city on the Trout Run Trail, an 11-mile asphalt loop encircling the historic downtown.
—Sarah Miller, Midwest Living, 29 Apr. 2026
If your houseplant was severely pot-bound with encircling roots, trim the overgrown roots back by one-third.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026
In recent years, Beijing has stepped up military drills near Taiwan, even encircling the island by land, air and sea last year.
—Ashish Valentine, NPR, 7 Apr. 2026
The flower has a row of large outer petals (guard petals) encircling a center of petalodes or small, narrow yellow inner petals.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2026
Our beautiful encircling topography of mountains and hills is a bowl ready-made by ancient plate tectonics to be filled with smoke and smog.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
The rooms Spread over a handful of buildings encircling the central courtyard, Aleenta Retreat's 44 rooms range from spacious deluxe rooms with lounge-y balconies to two-story residences with two bedrooms and a small private courtyard with a plunge pool.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
Mercy Culture’s pastors hung a candidate’s banner behind the pulpit, endorsed politicians during Sunday services, said that people who vote for Democrats weren’t truly Christian, and described Kamala Harris as a demonic Jezebel taking the form of a snake encircling the White House.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encircling
Adjective
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Since then, the bustling market serves the surrounding and significant Latino community and others.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Helicopters were circling over 30 Rockefeller Plaza, home of NBC News, ahead of Charles' arrival.—
Emma Caughlan,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
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All of it lands at a moment when Quinta do Lago inventory is tight, and buyers are still circling.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The saints’ days are celebrated, the great days of history are celebrated, and they’re celebrated with this sort of enormous exuberance and deep investment that is somehow very, very touching, very embracing, and very inclusive.—
Terry Ward,
AFAR Media,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This is the first spaceflight for Cardman and Platonov, the fourth trip for Fincke, and the second for Yui, to the orbiting laboratory.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In its time orbiting Earth, Hubble has shaped our understanding of the universe by observing the atmospheric composition of planets around other stars and even discovering dark energy – a mysterious force that causes the universe to expand.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Znotins acknowledges that the airline makes prices for those non-connecting trips expensive to discourage non-connecting customers from booking them.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Gateway is modified to first repair the old 1910 tunnel immediately and construct a more economical new tunnel (without expensive and unneeded bench walls and cross-connecting passageways) and link it directly into Penn Station.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Experts feared that Asian economies — which imported 90% of the oil traversing through the Strait of Hormuz before the war — could be devastated by a prolonged disruption to Gulf crude production.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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And Just Like That, including designer clothing, Manhattan-traversing stilettos, kitschy furniture, and memorabilia from Big’s death.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The rising senior joined teammate Giacomo Sanfilippo, a linebacker, as the first three commitments from the Orlando area’s 2027 class.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
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During the surgery following the colonoscopy, Shaknovsky did not perform a routine test, which would have ensured there were no leaks in a newly joined intestine, according to the complaint.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The touchpads have a smooth, satiny finish that's so much nicer under the thumb, the triggers have smooth tension that doesn't feel remotely spongy, and the permanently attached rear buttons are nice and clicky.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
27 Apr. 2026
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Carlisle & Linny for vintage jewelry; Re-Invintage and Dwell for home décor; Purple Crow Books for new reads from an independent seller; and Volume for a huge record selection with an attached taproom and lounge.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encircling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encircling. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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