surrounds; surrounded; surrounding
1
: to be on every side of (someone or something)
A wall surrounds the old city.
—often used as (be) surroundedThe lake is surrounded by cottages.
2
: to move close to (someone or something) on all sides often in order to stop a person from escaping
Police surrounded the house.
They had the suspect surrounded.
She was suddenly surrounded by a crowd of excited fans.
3
: to be closely related or connected to (something)
There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the decision.
His departure was surrounded by secrecy.
4
of a family, group, etc.
: to always be near (someone)
—often + with
Her family surrounded her with love and attention. [=her family gave her a lot of love and attention]
—often used as (be) surroundedAs a child she was surrounded by her large, loving family.
plural surrounds
: a border or an area that is around the outside edge of something
a fireplace/bathtub surround
the park's urban surrounds
Cite this Entry
“Surround.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/surround. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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