Thesaurus results for ENCIRCLE

encircle

verb

in-ˈsər-kəl

Definition of encircle

as in to circle

to travel completely around communication satellites encircling the earth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to surround

to form a circle around immediately after announcing their engagement, the couple was encircled by their applauding friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example 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 encircle While most people enjoy eating the arils after separating them from the bitter white membrane that encircle them, other parts of the fruit can also be used to make juice or extracts. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 July 2026 The island had gone from farm and pasture in the nineteenth century to nature preserves and residential property in the twentieth, its silvery shingled homes encircled by forests and deer. — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Departing from traditional geographical or chronological arrangements, the show aims to take advantage of the layout of the galleries, which encircle a courtyard and allow multiple entry points. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 17 June 2026 In the center of Washington Park is a lagoon, which once weaved in a crescent shape around a peninsula in a configuration that annoyed boaters, but now encircles a central island called Bynum Island. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for encircle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for encircle

Verb

The evening of the shoot, there was frequent hum of tourist helicopters circling the island, and a few party boats blasting music, which threatened to put a damper on the plans.

— Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026
Minutes later the pike was just under the surface, circling close to the boat.

— Jack G. Mell, Outdoor Life, 2 July 2026

Definition of circle

Verb

Plantation police said the circumstances surrounding the child's death remain under investigation.

— Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Officials did not initially identify Ortiz Canseco on Thursday or disclose the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, saying his family needed to be notified first.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Definition of surround

Verb

Tehran meanwhile has tried to strengthen its leverage by saying crew members must gain permission to traverse the strait along routes approved by its officials.

— Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
The first Spanish expedition to California in 1542 was followed about 220 years later when Gaspar de Portolá and Franciscan monk Junipero Serra traversed the coastal lands.

— Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of traverse

Browse Nearby Words

enciphers

encircle

encircled

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Encircle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encircle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of encircle

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on encircle

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes