sur·round
sə-ˈrau̇nd 
surrounded; surrounding; surrounds
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
: something (such as a border or ambient environment) that surrounds
… from urban centre to rural surround.—
Emrys Jones
Emrys JonesExamples 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
Jamey Keaten, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Metal barricades surrounded Madison Square Garden and police checkpoints were up around Penn Station as city officials scrambled to prevent a repeat of Wednesday night’s chaos, when dozens of fans were taken into custody after the Knicks’ historic comeback.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2026
Games sound great on the Omni, thanks to Sonar’s spatial audio processing, which provides an effective surround effect.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for surround
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Verb
Switzerland is not one of the EU’s 27 member states, but it is all but surrounded by four of them.
—Jamey Keaten, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Metal barricades surrounded Madison Square Garden and police checkpoints were up around Penn Station as city officials scrambled to prevent a repeat of Wednesday night’s chaos, when dozens of fans were taken into custody after the Knicks’ historic comeback.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
Noun
Wide baseboard trim, along with a chair rail, crown molding, and a magnificent fireplace surround are elegant and welcoming.
—James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2026
Games sound great on the Omni, thanks to Sonar’s spatial audio processing, which provides an effective surround effect.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for surround
Cite this Entry
“Surround.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surround. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
surround
1 of 2 verb
sur·round
sə-ˈrau̇nd
: to enclose on all sides : encircle
surround
2 of 2 noun
: something (as a border) that surrounds
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