1
as in limiting
to set bounds or an upper limit for
circumscribed his enthusiasm so as not to make the losing side feel worse
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2
as in defining
to mark the limits of
Lake Michigan circumscribes the city of Chicago on the east
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Recent Examples of circumscribing
In quick succession, the Court began circumscribing Congress’s ability to define rights and act on its constitutional imagination.
—
Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
This wouldn’t be the first time the Court has avoided a head-on fight with the other branches, especially after Congress makes noise about circumscribing its authority.
—Time, 14 Nov. 2025
Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
This wouldn’t be the first time the Court has avoided a head-on fight with the other branches, especially after Congress makes noise about circumscribing its authority.
—Time, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumscribing
Verb
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By banning advertising by legal operators during live sporting events and sharply limiting promotions, the proposal drastically reduces the visibility of the regulated market.—
Cláudia Nunes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The first aimed to curb the falling rupee by limiting currency‑hedging positions that banks can take.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Astor family were the defining dynasty of New York's Gilded Age, and that spirit of grandeur and meticulous hosting has traveled with the brand ever since.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
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Dowd returns to her career-defining role as Aunt Lydia, who is now the leader of the school where Agnes and Daisy are students.—
Alex Cramer,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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South Korea, dependent on energy imports, is restricting the use of cars by public employees and has reinstated fuel price caps that had been dropped in the 1990s.—
Paul Wiseman,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), which supports restricting immigration, estimates that temporary visitors gave birth to about 70,000 babies in 2023.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circumscribing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumscribing. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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