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

The youngest Lestat trips over reciting a passage about being encircled by God’s love. — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

On this day, four guests — clad in masks, snorkels, flippers, and dressed in all black to reduce the risk of being confused for a fish by the sharks — clung onto a safety line and watched as the silky sharks encircled them. — Kate Waxman, Sun Sentinel, 19 July 2026

Ferguson’s ring features a central ruby encircled by diamonds that resemble flower petals. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 11 July 2026

The duo also bet much of the crowd each night is people from the neighborhoods that encircle it. — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 7 July 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