surround

1 of 2

verb

sur·​round sə-ˈrau̇nd How to pronounce surround (audio)
surrounded; surrounding; surrounds

transitive verb

1
a(1)
: to enclose on all sides : envelop
the crowd surrounded her
(2)
: to enclose so as to cut off communication or retreat : invest entry 2
b
: to form or be a member of the entourage of
flatterers who surround the king
c
: to constitute part of the environment of
surrounded by poverty
d
: to extend around the margin or edge of : encircle
a wall surrounds the old city
2
: to cause to be surrounded by something
surrounded himself with friends

surround

2 of 2

noun

: something (such as a border or ambient environment) that surrounds
from urban centre to rural surroundEmrys Jones

Examples of surround in a Sentence

Verb A wall surrounds the old city. They had the suspect surrounded. She was suddenly surrounded by a crowd of excited fans. There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the decision. His departure was surrounded by secrecy. Noun the vast, featureless surround of the desert was strangely appealing to him
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
But one key difference stands out: The Gaza Strip is surrounded by existing routes, in the care of staunch U.S. allies, by which a massive increase in aid could feasibly arrive by truck. Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 At the time, and even now, much controversy surrounded the decision. Andrea Kane, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 Visitors flit between the monumental swimming pool crowned with a glass roof, the thermal pools surrounded by regal lion heads spurting water and walls of Zsolnay porcelain tiles, and the pummeling outdoor wave pool that opens at the end of May every year. Alia Akkam, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024 The couple got engaged on Christmas Eve 2016 and eventually tied the knot in Tennessee in October 2017 during a woodsy wedding surrounded by their closest family and friends. Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 It's covered with a gel-like cooling cover, and the deep coils are surrounded by inches of foam to cradle you from head to toe. Sarah Madaus, Allure, 14 Mar. 2024 Early on the morning of April 26, the Union cavalry surrounded the tobacco shed, trapping the fugitives inside. Vanessa Armstrong, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 What court cases surround Line 5? Enbridge has been locked in legal battles in both Wisconsin and Michigan. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2024 Growing up in Washington, D.C., she was surrounded by them. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Noun
And experts warn that the number of cases recorded are just a small fraction of what may be the real number, in a deeply patriarchal country where shame and stigma surround rape victims and their families. CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 But even in the black-and-white scenes, whenever orchestral music is heard (performed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin), it is presented in full, immersive surround. Todd Longwell, Variety, 2 Mar. 2024 The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home, which is located in the historic Fernside neighborhood of Alameda, California, featured beautiful arched entryways and windows, tray ceilings, a plaster fireplace surround, and a special front door. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 24 Jan. 2024 Many cyclists start among the historic surrounds of Sassi di Matera and pedal towards the coast. Andrea Romano, Travel + Leisure, 26 Jan. 2024 Refinishing a fiberglass tub usually involves redoing the tub surround, too, because the tub and surround usually come as a single unit. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 4 Aug. 2023 Each model features a Grasmere Green body, an Alaskan White roof, a Heritage-style grill, headlamp surrounds, and heavy-duty steel wheels. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2024 There are snowy scenes galore as well as a great glimpse of multiple neighborhoods in Stockholm and its surrounds. Andrea Duncan-Mao, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2024 Scores of security guards keep the homeless, the snoops and the patent-stealers at bay, while the dealmakers pack into the cramped Westin St. Francis hotel and its surrounds to meet with cash-hungry executives from biotech and other health care companies. Molly Castle Work and Arthur Allen, CBS News, 23 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'surround.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to flood, inundate, from Anglo-French surunder, from Late Latin superundare, to overflow, from Latin super- + unda wave; influenced in meaning by round entry 5 — more at water

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of surround was circa 1616

Dictionary Entries Near surround

Cite this Entry

“Surround.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surround. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

surround

1 of 2 verb
sur·​round sə-ˈrau̇nd How to pronounce surround (audio)
: to enclose on all sides : encircle

surround

2 of 2 noun
: something (as a border) that surrounds

More from Merriam-Webster on surround

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