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
Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 23 May 2026
There is nothing educational about watching these majestic animals, who swim hundreds of miles in the oceans, swim circles in tiny tanks while the public takes selfies.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
Raised in the patrician circles of New York, Sister Parish opened her firm, in 1933 after her family’s fortunes declined following the 1929 market crash.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 22 May 2026
Investors relied on private circles.
—Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
Blade grinders function more like blenders, frantically whirring in circles, mangling the beans, and tossing them all over the grinding chamber.
—Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 May 2026
And while the film industry is one often considered to be ruled by informal gateways and insider circles, thus far, the Rover team hasn’t encountered any pushback from directors uneager to share their secrets.
—Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 20 May 2026
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
But within hours, a second conversation took hold in comedy circles.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2026
Most relied on the free shuttle that circles the valley floor.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
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
Noun
The formula’s retinol, ginger, and citrus increase the production of both collagen and elastin and improve circulation, thus reducing puffiness and dark circles.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 23 May 2026
There is nothing educational about watching these majestic animals, who swim hundreds of miles in the oceans, swim circles in tiny tanks while the public takes selfies.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
Raised in the patrician circles of New York, Sister Parish opened her firm, in 1933 after her family’s fortunes declined following the 1929 market crash.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 22 May 2026
Investors relied on private circles.
—Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
Blade grinders function more like blenders, frantically whirring in circles, mangling the beans, and tossing them all over the grinding chamber.
—Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 May 2026
And while the film industry is one often considered to be ruled by informal gateways and insider circles, thus far, the Rover team hasn’t encountered any pushback from directors uneager to share their secrets.
—Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 20 May 2026
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
But within hours, a second conversation took hold in comedy circles.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
Verb
Walk the trail that circles turquoise Emerald Lake, one of the park’s most iconic sites.
—Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2026
Most relied on the free shuttle that circles the valley floor.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circles
Noun
-
The map shows three rings around the facility representing zones of severe, moderate and light structural damage.—
Nina Giraldo,
CNN Money,
24 May 2026
-
While her rings haven’t been brought out of the palace vaults since 2016, other rare items from the late royal’s ‘wedding of the century’ continue to be displayed on occasion.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Leaders should clearly communicate why AI is being adopted, define what success looks like and create continuous feedback loops.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
The soft material complements a base that also evokes folds and ribbon-like loops in clay.—
Anthony Paletta,
Curbed,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
In Napster’s absence, distributed P2P networks became much more popular.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
20 May 2026
-
Middle regions of the country proved easier for people on the move because the climate was often better for growing crops, soils were fertile and the Mississippi, Ohio and other rivers provided transportation networks.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Painful nodules, recurring abscesses and slow-healing lesions often come and go in cycles, with symptoms that shift in severity and location over time.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
18 May 2026
-
Without that, review cycles slip, conflicts accumulate and the clean knowledge base the company started with quietly reverts to its prior state.—
Philip Brittan,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Pool areas also feature reef-safe sunscreen dispensers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
-
Student enrollment will drop across the board, and certain areas of the country such as New England—which is home to a whole host of small private colleges and will be suffering from some of the harshest demographic decline—may start to be dotted by campus ghost towns.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
19 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
-
Hutson is the Canadiens’ leading scorer through two rounds of the playoffs with 14 points in 14 games.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
That geographic diversification increasingly matters as venture capital becomes more concentrated around a handful of AI mega-rounds.—
Ian Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circles. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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