as in roundabout
not straightforward or direct
a rather circular discussion of the problem that never addresses it directly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in booklet
a short printed publication with no cover or with a paper cover
promptly tosses out those advertising circulars that come in the newspaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of circular
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 8 June 2026
Dip your microfiber cloth into the solution and gently wipe down the surface of the screen from top to bottom in circular motions.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 8 June 2026
Gabrielle Chenault, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Dec. 2025
The circular included a QR code to scan for those interested in joining.
—Christopher Tremoglie, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circular
Adjective
Set your iron to warm, and then iron over the salt in circular motions until clean.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 8 June 2026
Dip your microfiber cloth into the solution and gently wipe down the surface of the screen from top to bottom in circular motions.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 8 June 2026
Noun
The Tennessean looked at weekly circulars from more than a dozen stores, including Middle Tennessee staples like Aldi, Dollar General, BJ's Wholesale Club.
—Gabrielle Chenault, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Dec. 2025
The circular included a QR code to scan for those interested in joining.
—Christopher Tremoglie, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circular
Adjective
-
Without revealing too much, this structure from al-Mansour and co-writer Brad Niemann ends up having a roundabout reason too, given a bizarre third-act twist that renders moot the film’s entire point of view, along with its central themes.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
8 June 2026
-
Cars and trucks piled into the roundabout, horns blaring.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Many kites come with detailed instructions and a booklet of tips and tricks for beginners.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
12 June 2026
-
Near the 90th Street-Elmhurst station, dozens stand in the shade trading Panini stickers of World Cup players to paste in collectible booklets.—
Jasmine Garsd,
NPR,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Cal Fire officials said the terrain allows crews to practice both direct and indirect firefighting and fire-control techniques while providing agencies an opportunity to train together in incident command and fire ground tactical operations.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
7 June 2026
-
Most crypto tokens have an indirect relationship with the underlying platform activity, but hyperliquid is different.—
Krysta Escobar,
CNBC,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The University of California reported the disease destroyed more than 1,000 acres of grapevines in Northern California from 1994 to 2008, causing $30 million in damage, a California Department of Food and Agriculture brochure said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2026
-
Print assets like brochures, billboards, business cards and magazine advertisements demand crisp, clear imagery to maintain a professional appearance.—
Anthony Savino,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
During the latest war, Israel has dropped leaflets over Lebanon with QR codes that, according to the Lebanese army, direct people to an Israeli military unit tasked with recruiting agents.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
-
Cut back to a leaflet with 5 leaves, which is where new blossoms develop.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
All of this documentation is stored in a few online folders.—
Gene Marks,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Then delete the message from your inbox or junk folder.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
For Staying Organized A sleek passport holder delivers polished, frequent-flyer energy while keeping travel essentials neatly in one place.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
-
However, there are credit cards that may be more rewarding for the most ardent points maximizers and frequent flyers.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
These invasion fictions took a range of forms, from short stories and pamphlets to novellas and full-length novels, and proliferated especially in the late-Victorian and Edwardian period leading up to World War I, which brought the subgenre’s brief flourishing to an end.—
Ivan Kreilkamp,
JSTOR Daily,
10 June 2026
-
Hundreds of true-crime pamphlets circulated, adorned with woodcuts depicting horrific acts of dismemberment, torture, and witchcraft.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circular. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
