1
2
as in loops
a circular strip
a decorative circle of silver on the rim of the commemorative plate for their 25th wedding anniversary
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in networks
a group of people sharing a common interest and relating together socially
got together with her social circle once a week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in cycles
a series of events or actions that repeat themselves regularly and in the same order
with the birth of a child coming so soon after the death of a grandparent, we were once again reminded of the circle of life
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in areas
a region of activity, knowledge, or influence
that lies outside the circle of our investigation
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in surrounds
to form a circle around
everyone circled the lectern and waited their turn to read from the Bible
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in orbits
to travel completely around
with a look of extreme frustration, the commander circled the new recruit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of circles
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
As someone who started wearing makeup in high school to hide my dark under-eye circles and unyielding teenage acne, color correctors and concealers have long been mainstays in my makeup bag.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
But within hours, a second conversation took hold in comedy circles.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
And Kansas City’s forward progress with the impending building of a new airport and an emerging downtown — ultra-visible in soccer circles because of the hordes assembling in the Power & Light District to watch the beautiful game.
—Kansas City Star, 15 May 2026
Some shaggy buffalo drowsed in a patch of shade, and a hose fed water into a large puddle where a white goose paddled in tight circles.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Other figures with similar ideas have strong connections to conservative policy circles.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Behind a public profile of brand endorsements and elite Bangkok social circles, Yod is consumed by guilt over a brutal past match that left his childhood best friend Krit with irreversible brain damage.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 May 2026
As Pratt’s campaign racks up viral attention and climbs in visibility, some figures in Los Angeles’s entertainment and donor circles appear increasingly comfortable treating his candidacy like a legitimate political and cultural force.
—Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 13 May 2026
Felysha Walker
may 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2026
Enjoy a coffee break at The Lookout at Lake Poway before the group circles back.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
As the vehicle circles the far side of the moon, communication back to Earth is expected to be blocked for about 40 minutes.
—Brendan Byrne, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026
On Deck 10, furniture upholstered in La Rumba circles the main pool and an outdoor bar.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 6 Apr. 2026
The space station circles our planet at an altitude referred to as low-Earth orbit, which is closer to Earth's atmosphere and allows the outpost to move more quickly around Earth than objects further out in space.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Editing compounds that issue, and not even a familiar and fun soundtrack can distract from a narrative that endlessly circles the same jokes and conflicts without properly deepening them.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
Anthony Arceneaux, who owns the spot with his wife, Jennifer, circles the room in a white cowboy hat, shaking hands like a Presidential candidate.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Amazomania really circles around that.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
On the other hand, those who carry heterosis face discrimination from within their own circles — Jim is cast out from by the gym queen crowd when his positive test for the virus is exposed — in a clear parallel for how HIV+ people are often treated in gay circles.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
As someone who started wearing makeup in high school to hide my dark under-eye circles and unyielding teenage acne, color correctors and concealers have long been mainstays in my makeup bag.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
But within hours, a second conversation took hold in comedy circles.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
And Kansas City’s forward progress with the impending building of a new airport and an emerging downtown — ultra-visible in soccer circles because of the hordes assembling in the Power & Light District to watch the beautiful game.
—Kansas City Star, 15 May 2026
Some shaggy buffalo drowsed in a patch of shade, and a hose fed water into a large puddle where a white goose paddled in tight circles.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Other figures with similar ideas have strong connections to conservative policy circles.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Behind a public profile of brand endorsements and elite Bangkok social circles, Yod is consumed by guilt over a brutal past match that left his childhood best friend Krit with irreversible brain damage.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 May 2026
As Pratt’s campaign racks up viral attention and climbs in visibility, some figures in Los Angeles’s entertainment and donor circles appear increasingly comfortable treating his candidacy like a legitimate political and cultural force.
—Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 13 May 2026
Verb
That process moves forward, then circles back, then moves again.
—Felysha Walker
may 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2026
Enjoy a coffee break at The Lookout at Lake Poway before the group circles back.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
As the vehicle circles the far side of the moon, communication back to Earth is expected to be blocked for about 40 minutes.
—Brendan Byrne, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026
On Deck 10, furniture upholstered in La Rumba circles the main pool and an outdoor bar.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 6 Apr. 2026
The space station circles our planet at an altitude referred to as low-Earth orbit, which is closer to Earth's atmosphere and allows the outpost to move more quickly around Earth than objects further out in space.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Editing compounds that issue, and not even a familiar and fun soundtrack can distract from a narrative that endlessly circles the same jokes and conflicts without properly deepening them.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
Anthony Arceneaux, who owns the spot with his wife, Jennifer, circles the room in a white cowboy hat, shaking hands like a Presidential candidate.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Amazomania really circles around that.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circles
Noun
-
For those looking to recreate Hudson’s look, this striped blouse rings similar — while the star’s contrasting colors include pink and blue, this blue-and-white version is an equally delicate design with the lighter hue at the forefront.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
-
Highlights from the market included hand-appliquéd vests by Penny Singer; striking gold and gemstone bracelets by Kenneth Johnson; vibrant beadwork by Jovanna Poblano and Cole Forrest; geometric-pattern jackets by Pacha Arts; and sterling-silver rings by Cody Sanderson, among many others.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The crease-free ties are customizable for every hair type and style -- four loops for thick hair, two loops for regular ponytails or messy buns, and baby loops for braids or fine hair.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
-
Interior elastic loops and a mesh slip pocket keep bottles and smaller accessories secure, while the spacious 2-liter interior holds everything neatly in one place.—
Kayla Kitts,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Gutfeld, however, has the major advantage of airing in the earlier primetime window, where more viewers are simply awake and tuning in across all networks.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
Built from complex networks of sometimes more than 100 different types of neurons, retinal tissue consumes two to three times more energy than the same mass of typical brain tissue.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The researchers argue that the daily dataset has diagnostic potential, serving as an early warning system for economic cycles, a humanitarian planning tool, and a means of tracking ecological consequences as illuminated nights continue to change at an accelerating pace.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
The test does repeated cycles to try to amplify specific snippets of genetic material that may be present.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
People such as López often act as unwanted eyes and ears in resource-rich areas of Latin America, the most deadly region in the world for environmentalists, according to the nongovernmental organization Global Witness.—
Marlon González,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Wharton’s ability to punch the ball into attacking areas from deep is the skill that sets him apart.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
As Coltrane and Isaiah’s relationship grows into outright hatred, the series surrounds them with three women whose wants sometimes align with these men, sometimes not.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 May 2026
-
Amid the early-spring lightness of the filmmaking, Fukada values softly plainspoken earnestness of emotion, as his repressed, recessive characters learn to listen to their own impulses in the general stillness that surrounds them.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Because the station orbits Earth once every 90 minutes, the crew on board sees 16 sunrises and sunsets every day.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
-
The sky is always changing As Earth orbits the sun, stars appear to rise about four minutes earlier each night.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Scheffler has struggled with opening rounds for most of the year since opening with a 63 in his season debut at The American Express, his only victory.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
-
Most of the teams qualifying in spots beyond the current 12-team field won’t even advance past the first two rounds.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circles. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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