1
as in surrounded
to form a circle around
everyone circled the lectern and waited their turn to read from the Bible
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in orbited
to travel completely around
with a look of extreme frustration, the commander circled the new recruit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of circled
On the winning play, Kastelic pounced on a loose puck next to goalie Jeremy Swayman, circled behind his net and made a long pass to the Kings’ blue line and David Pastrnak, who in turned relayed it to Charlie McAvoy for the game-winning goal.
—
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Houses painted in bright primary colors circled the harbor, framed by white and purple lupines.
—Gina Decaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
There were places where the dog circled a spot on the floor.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
Smelling blood, Republicans circled, accusing her of self-promotion and corruption.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Players circled the court and slapped five with fans.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
The Nuggets were prioritizing forward depth on the buyout market in recent days, sources told The Post, but ball-handling was a key attribute team officials had circled in addition to size and versatility on the wing.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2026
After an exchange of words, the driver [Czaja] in a silver Buick Encore, allegedly circled the victim before hitting him and his car.
—Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
Davis said that the suspect circled the bar several times in an SUV just before the shooting, stopped, and then fired a pistol from the car at those in front of the location.
—James Powel, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Houses painted in bright primary colors circled the harbor, framed by white and purple lupines.
—Gina Decaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
There were places where the dog circled a spot on the floor.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
Smelling blood, Republicans circled, accusing her of self-promotion and corruption.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Players circled the court and slapped five with fans.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
The Nuggets were prioritizing forward depth on the buyout market in recent days, sources told The Post, but ball-handling was a key attribute team officials had circled in addition to size and versatility on the wing.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2026
After an exchange of words, the driver [Czaja] in a silver Buick Encore, allegedly circled the victim before hitting him and his car.
—Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
Davis said that the suspect circled the bar several times in an SUV just before the shooting, stopped, and then fired a pistol from the car at those in front of the location.
—James Powel, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circled
Verb
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The rooms Quiet luxury is the name of the game at Amanyara and the resort consists of one-to-two bedroom pavilions and three-to-six bedroom villas, each surrounded by forest, with park or ocean views.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 Mar. 2026
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Otherwise, Chatham is just a crossroads surrounded by turnrows and a few swampy stands of cypress trees.—
Boyce Upholt,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But as the title character and a partial avatar for Williamson — who had similarly spent his own teen years dreamily pining and aspiring to be a filmmaker — Dawson was the boy-next-door pillar around which the show orbited.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
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Some 350 light-years away, the V1298 Tau system features an infant sun-like star, just 23 million years old, orbited by four planets on compact orbits close to their star, and all of which are seen to transit.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Wolf packs on the hunt encircled their prey—typically elk—clamping at the jugular when their target grew weary from the chase.—
Nidhi Sharma,
Popular Science,
12 Mar. 2026
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There are single and double cultivars offering variations on the classic yellow center encircled by white petals.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Boise State men’s basketball team has traversed the 2025-26 season without a true team leader, instead relying on individual nights of brilliance from one of several players to win games.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Mar. 2026
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In that same period, the total distance traversed by ships in the Arctic increased 111%.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Everyone settled into folding chairs ringed around folding tables.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
11 Mar. 2026
-
For years until fuel expired, the spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, flew through the region ringed with particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field to understand more about them.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From the Caribbean, the fleet crossed the Panama Canal and headed west to the Galápagos, then on to French Polynesia, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia’s Whitsunday Islands, and Indonesia.—
Chrissie McClatchie,
Robb Report,
14 Mar. 2026
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His extensive writing crossed the boundaries of academic and philosophical disciplines, providing a vision of modern society and social interaction.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Its form is rounded with pale pink to rose flowers.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Markus Redmond rounded out the cast as orderly turned EMT Raymond.—
Kelly Martinez,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circled. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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