Thesaurus results for ENVIRONMENT

Q: How is the word 'environment' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of environment are background , milieu , mise-en-scène , and setting . While all these words mean "the place, time, and circumstances in which something occurs," environment applies to all the external factors that have a formative influence on one's physical, mental, or moral development. // the kind of environment that produces juvenile delinquents

Q: When is it sensible to use 'background' instead of 'environment'?

The meanings of background and environment largely overlap; however, background often refers to the circumstances or events that precede a phenomenon or development. // the shocking decision was part of the background of the riots

Q: When is 'milieu' a more appropriate choice than 'environment'?

In some situations, the words milieu and environment are roughly equivalent. However, milieu applies especially to the physical and social surroundings of a person or group of persons. // an intellectual milieu conducive to artistic experimentation

Q: When might 'mise-en-scène' be a better fit than 'environment'?

While in some cases nearly identical to environment , mise-en-scène strongly suggests the use of properties to achieve a particular atmosphere or theatrical effect. // a gothic thriller with a carefully crafted mise-en-scène

Q: When could 'setting' be used to replace 'environment'?

While the synonyms setting and environment are close in meaning, setting suggests looking at real-life situations in literary or dramatic terms. // a militant reformer who was born into an unlikely social setting

environment

noun

in-ˈvī-rə(n)-mənt

Definition of environment next

as in surroundings

the circumstances, conditions, or objects by which one is surrounded the joys of growing up in the environment that a small town offers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word environment distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of environment are background, milieu, mise-en-scène, and setting. While all these words mean "the place, time, and circumstances in which something occurs," environment applies to all the external factors that have a formative influence on one's physical, mental, or moral development.

the kind of environment that produces juvenile delinquents

When is it sensible to use background instead of environment?

The meanings of background and environment largely overlap; however, background often refers to the circumstances or events that precede a phenomenon or development.

the shocking decision was part of the background of the riots

When is milieu a more appropriate choice than environment?

In some situations, the words milieu and environment are roughly equivalent. However, milieu applies especially to the physical and social surroundings of a person or group of persons.

an intellectual milieu conducive to artistic experimentation

When might mise-en-scène be a better fit than environment?

While in some cases nearly identical to environment, mise-en-scène strongly suggests the use of properties to achieve a particular atmosphere or theatrical effect.

a gothic thriller with a carefully crafted mise-en-scène

When could setting be used to replace environment?

While the synonyms setting and environment are close in meaning, setting suggests looking at real-life situations in literary or dramatic terms.

a militant reformer who was born into an unlikely social setting

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of environment The combination of high surf and strong offshore winds is creating an especially hazardous environment. —

Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025 Washington assembled the necessary staffers and created the environment to welcome Daniels. —

Ben Standig, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025 Now, a team at Nagoya University in Japan has figured out two of the primary ways that these sneaky crickets manage to survive in such a hostile environment. —

Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 Jan. 2025 The legal and regulatory environment can be overwhelming, with varying rules at the federal, state and local levels. —

Sahit Muja, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for environment

Recent Examples of Synonyms for environment

Noun

Fire tornadoes occur when intense wind combines with conditions in the atmosphere to produce clouds of smoke that reach 20,000 to 40,000 feet, Swain said.

— Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2025
The researchers suggest that these white lights arise due to a combination of heating in the ionosphere due to the surrounding aurora, as well as the chemiluminescence of some other gases in the atmosphere, possibly nitrogen dioxide.

— Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025