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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encircling
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 May 2026
Bad weather postponed a major construction project on Atlanta's primary highway encircling the city last weekend, but now the traffic chaos is here.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 15 May 2026
By using drones to interdict supply lines from a distance, Ukrainian forces can impose the effects of a siege without physically encircling a city, redefining how an opponent can be isolated in modern warfare.
—Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Heck, even the names in the Ring of Honor encircling the stadium between its decks will be vulnerable to being cloaked by FIFA branding or advertising signage.
—Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026
Chopard’s charming—and chiming—Beehive Clock, a table clock standing nearly a foot tall with seven tiers of rounded glass segments encircling a multi-level mechanical movement, stood out among the new releases for the same reason the Nautilus desk watch (Ref.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 11 May 2026
The upper features criss-crossing straps across the toes and skinner straps encircling the ankle.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 4 May 2026
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
Verb
Styled by Brad Goreski, Moore wore a custom cobalt blue Self Portrait gown with an oversized bow encircling the hips, falling into a train.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 May 2026
Bad weather postponed a major construction project on Atlanta's primary highway encircling the city last weekend, but now the traffic chaos is here.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 15 May 2026
By using drones to interdict supply lines from a distance, Ukrainian forces can impose the effects of a siege without physically encircling a city, redefining how an opponent can be isolated in modern warfare.
—Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Heck, even the names in the Ring of Honor encircling the stadium between its decks will be vulnerable to being cloaked by FIFA branding or advertising signage.
—Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026
Chopard’s charming—and chiming—Beehive Clock, a table clock standing nearly a foot tall with seven tiers of rounded glass segments encircling a multi-level mechanical movement, stood out among the new releases for the same reason the Nautilus desk watch (Ref.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 11 May 2026
The upper features criss-crossing straps across the toes and skinner straps encircling the ankle.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 4 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encircling
Adjective
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The system, which serves 100,000 residents in Iowa City and its surrounding, mostly rural communities, typifies the challenges most libraries face.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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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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Decades after Julian’s vanishing there, the band and various hangers-on recall eerie incidents both in and out of the house—rooms full of occult literature; pub full of haunting photographs—as well as the glimmering stranger circling the Orpheus-esque Julian.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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Plates of spicy edamame, beautifully cut sashimi and nigiri, panko-coated shrimp, and cooked-to-perfection sirloin and broccolini are all worth circling on the menu for future reference, as are the delicate strawberry and cheesecake mochi that round the sitting off.—
Lauren Keith,
Robb Report,
30 May 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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The mission spent more than 11 years orbiting Mars and studying its upper atmosphere.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
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Scientists believe that one of the planetary nebula’s two orbiting stars — once bigger than our sun — gave up the ghost.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 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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On the Iron Horse Regional Trail traversing Contra Costa and Alameda counties, the whir of electric bikes has become part of the summer soundtrack.—
Maddie White,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
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Over 65 hours The longest Amtrak train route is the Texas Eagle, which runs between Chicago and Los Angeles with a long leg spent traversing Texas (hence the name).—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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The 28-year-old has won eight Grands Prix across nine seasons for Ferrari, having initially joined the joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
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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
Adjective
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There’s also an attached garage for two cars and a golf cart off a gleaming black driveway.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
3 June 2026
-
The complex, which is the airport's first new facility in 60 years, includes a 5,000-square-foot terminal, a 20,000-square-foot heated hangar and an attached garage.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encircling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encircling. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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