encircle

verb

en·cir·cle | \ in-ˈsər-kəl

, en-\

encircled; encircling; encircles

Definition of encircle

transitive verb

1 : to form a circle around : surround

2 : to pass completely around

Other Words from encircle Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about encircle

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of encircle in a Sentence

A crowd of reporters encircled the mayor. communication satellites encircling the earth

Recent Examples on the Web

The gunman was slammed by a police vehicle and set spinning into a group of cars, where he was soon encircled by authorities, according to bystander video and Midland County District Attorney Laura Nodolf. — Faith Karimi, Ed Lavandera And Christina Maxouris, CNN, "The man who fired randomly on West Texas roads was stopped by a group of officers who rammed into his car," 2 Sep. 2019 Many use the bridge to go to and from work. ___ 9:35 a.m. Brazilian television is showing an armed hostage-taker leaving a bus with dozens of passengers on board and being encircled by police after a standoff in Rio de Janeiro. — Washington Post, "The Latest: Police fatally shoot Rio bus hostage-taker," 20 Aug. 2019 The Illilouette Creek wilderness area, in Yosemite National Park, is encircled by granite peaks that create a natural firebreak. — Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, "A Trailblazing Plan to Fight California Wildfires," 19 Aug. 2019 The Milepost 97 fire, Oregon’s largest wildfire, is now fully encircled by containment lines, officials said. — oregonlive.com, "Family, teammates mourn slain Portland State basketball star: Morning Briefing," 5 Aug. 2019 Wealthy neighborhoods in New York were reportedly encircled by officers to protect them. — Cameron Knight, Cincinnati.com, "100 years ago, the U.S. prepared for a nationwide anarchist attack," 3 July 2019 Along the entire front many German nests of resistance and fortified points are encircled by the enemy and holding their own. — Wes Gallagher, Houston Chronicle, "ALLIES GAIN IN NAZI-MADE FLOODS," 9 June 2019 The stunning Misol Ha is quite different, a single cascade of some 115 feet (35 meters) spilling into a pool encircled by tropical greenery. — Washington Post, "Back to Chiapas 25 years after covering rebel uprising," 27 Aug. 2019 From the bed of a white pick-up, Lladrovci saw a large expanse of dirt encircled by a chain-link fence. — The Economist, "Confessions of an Islamic State fighter," 16 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'encircle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.