encircle

verb

en·​cir·​cle in-ˈsər-kəl 

en-

encircled; encircling; encircles

transitive verb

1

: to form a circle around : surround

2

: to pass completely around

encirclement

in-ˈsər-kəl-mənt 

en-

noun

Synonyms of encircle

• circle
• traverse
• orbit

Examples of encircle in a Sentence

A crowd of reporters encircled the mayor.

communication satellites encircling the earth

Recent Examples on the Web

Dumas watched, charmed, his arms encircling his wife’s shoulders, and accepted an ice-cream sundae in a silver parfait cup. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

Instead of gold watches, silver handcuffs encircled their wrists. — Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

There are no bleachers, so spectators set up lawn chairs encircling the field. — Kelenna Onukwugha, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026

The home occupies the entire top floor of the high-rise, where more than 2,000 square feet of terraces encircle the residence. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enserclen

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for encircle

• cercle
• circle
• preopercle
• semicircle
• tubercle

Kids Definition

encircle

verb

en·​cir·​cle in-ˈsər-kəl 

1

: to form a circle around : surround

2

: to go completely around

encirclement

-mənt 

noun