Surrounding: meaning, definitions and examples

๐ŸŒณ
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surrounding

 

[ sษ™หˆraสŠndษชล‹ ]

Noun / Adjective
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Noun

in nature

The area around or near a particular place, object, or person.

Synonyms

environment, surroundings, vicinity.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
surrounding

Used to describe everything that is around or near a specific place or object, mostly in singular form.

  • The surrounding area was beautiful.
  • She admired the surrounding scenery.
environment

Refers to the natural world or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives, or operates in a more general sense, often used in discussions about nature or conditions.

  • We need to protect the environment.
  • The new job offers a positive work environment.
surroundings

Typically used to describe the space and conditions around a person, place, or thing, focusing more on the immediate area, usually in plural form.

  • She felt uneasy in unfamiliar surroundings.
  • The surroundings of the cabin were peaceful.
vicinity

Refers to the area near or around a particular place, often used when talking about the geographical location.

  • There are several restaurants in the vicinity.
  • The school is located in the vicinity of the park.

Examples of usage

  • The beauty of the surrounding nature is breathtaking.
  • I love the peacefulness of the surrounding countryside.
Context #2 | Adjective

in a physical sense

Situated on all sides of something.

Synonyms

encircling, enclosing, encompassing.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
surrounding

Use this word to describe the general environment or area around something.

  • The plants add beauty to the surrounding landscape
  • The surrounding neighborhood is very quiet
encircling

Use this word when you want to describe something forming a circle around another object.

  • A wall encircling the ancient city provided protection
  • The encircling trees gave the house a sense of seclusion
encompassing

Use this word when describing something that includes a wide range of elements or extends around an area broadly.

  • The museum's collection is encompassing, with exhibits from all over the world
  • They live in a large estate encompassing several acres
enclosing

Use this word to describe something that completely surrounds or closes off another space or object.

  • The garden is enclosed by a high fence
  • He felt trapped in the enclosing walls of the small room

Examples of usage

  • The house was surrounded by a high fence.
  • We were surrounded by a dense forest.

Translations

Translations of the word "surrounding" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น circundante

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค†เคธเคชเคพเคธ เค•เคพ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช umgebend

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ sekeliling

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฝะฐะฒะบะพะปะธัˆะฝั–ะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ otaczajฤ…cy

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๅ‘จๅ›ฒใฎ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท environnant

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ circundante

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท รงevreleyen

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์ฃผ๋ณ€์˜

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ุญูŠุท

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ okolnรญ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ okolitรฝ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅ‘จๅ›ด็š„

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ obdajajoฤ

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ umlykjandi

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ า›ะพั€ัˆะฐา“ะฐะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒจแƒ”แƒ›แƒแƒ›แƒแƒ•แƒแƒšแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ษ™hatษ™ edษ™n

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ circundante

Etymology

The word 'surrounding' originated from the Old French word 'suronder' meaning 'to overflow, abound' which later evolved to Middle French 'soronder'. It entered the English language in the late 15th century. The concept of 'surrounding' has always been essential in describing the environment and the physical placement of objects or individuals.

See also: surroundings.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,525, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.