surrounding
Americannoun
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something that surrounds.
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surroundings, environing things, circumstances, conditions, etc.; environment.
He was too sick to be aware of his surroundings.
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the act of encircling or enclosing.
adjective
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enclosing or encircling.
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being the environment or adjacent area.
Related Words
See environment.
Etymology
Origin of surrounding
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English: literally “inundation”; surround, -ing 1, -ing 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Because ice takes up more space than liquid water, freezing increases pressure on the surrounding shell.
From Science Daily
But the former military academy student has long shown a fascination for martial trappings, often surrounding himself with soldiers and visiting military sites.
From Barron's
The material activates two separate chemical reactions once inside a tumor cell, overwhelming it with oxidative stress while leaving surrounding healthy tissue unharmed.
From Science Daily
Because the pearls are denser than surrounding tissue and resemble small stones, they can sometimes complicate diagnosis by mimicking kidney or gallstones.
From Science Daily
"Mental health goes with everybody so if we can help somebody in their day by surrounding them in green, then we will," Dave Williams said.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
