circles 1 of 2

plural of circle
1
as in rings
something with a perfectly round circumference a circle of columns surrounds the memorial to the fallen heroes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
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

circles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of circle

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 circles
Noun
The company's platform enables hosts of gatherings across the country, from mom groups to run clubs to literary circles, to create a profile including details about how often events happen and how many people tend to show up. — Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2026 The president and his allies, many of whom hail from Silicon Valley’s tech circles, have insisted that legislation will stifle America’s economy and the AI industry. — Jared Perlo, NBC news, 8 Nov. 2026 Dhillon, a Sikh who was born in India and immigrated to the United States as a child, was a prominent figure in conservative legal and political circles even before being tapped to her Justice Department position. — Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026 In an era when music fans were much more tribal than today, Motorhead were one of the rare bands who were respected in both punk and heavy metal circles. — Jem Aswad, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026 Then, there’s the deliberate growth strategy, which has been to develop outward in concentric circles, building one market on the strength of the one before it. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 6 Nov. 2026 Dark circles, dull skin and a tired complexion can be a result of many other causes, including genetics, hormonal changes, dehydration, stress, and poor sleep. — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2026 Though not a household name, in certain circles, Celmins has attained near-mythic status. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Nov. 2026 The expectation in Hollywood real estate circles is that the deal will ultimately close. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2026
Verb
The camera swoops over the course while Brady is at the top of his ladder and then circles its lens back after passing. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2026 Cassiopeia circles Polaris as Earth rotates, so its orientation changes through the night. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Separately in the episode, River (Jack Lowden) and Sid (Olivia Cooke) are on the run from a pair of assassins, while the rest of the team circles the wagons en route to a safe house. — Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026 The job search can be a draining process, especially when applications go unanswered, AI hysteria circles the internet, and interviews end with little to no feedback. — Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 28 July 2026 Whenever the calendar comes out, Amanda Mendoza VanCleave circles the dates. — ABC News, 23 July 2026 All of which circles us back around to the reality that our brain sees writing as quietly dangerous. — April Dávila, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026 But the finale sets up a world-changing cliffhanger that circles the plot back to Louis and Armand vying for Lestat’s music box and blood in the premiere. — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 Tour du Mont Blanc circles the highest mountain in the Alps, spanning France, Switzerland and Italy. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circles
Noun
  • Stewart had worn a white sweater with Olympic rings on the front in the episode to match with Melvin, who had dressed up like Olympics superfan and ambassador Snoop Dogg.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Stewart had worn a white sweater with an American flag and Olympic rings on the front in the episode to match with Melvin, who had dressed up like Olympics superfan and ambassador Snoop Dogg.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Its stated goal is to build continuous defensive loops that find and fix weaknesses before attackers do.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Rhythms lapse into funky half time for a moment, then get sucked back into warp speed; loops bounce and jitter across the stereo field.
    — Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 31 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • This separates two wiring networks that traditionally competed for space above the transistors.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Versant has articulated a strategy of getting half of its revenue from digital and direct-to-consumer businesses so as to reduce its dependency on the traditional cable networks at the core of its operations.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • That’s higher than participation among Republicans, a break from the last two cycles, when conservatives went to the polls at higher rates in the historically blue county.
    — Zoey Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The law capped the number of breeding dogs in a single operation at 50 and required rest between breeding cycles.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Chain O’Lakes sewer lines McFarlane described three general areas for the project, totaling about 5,400 homes and businesses.
    — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Baseball and basketball, in particular, have been areas of focus for Sure Sports, though McKenzie did not name any specific clients, citing confidentiality.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • This year’s ceremony will also take place as political drama surrounds the institution, which has historically avoided partisan issues.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The yard in south Atlanta surrounds a home owned by Renee Davis.
    — Rashad Williams, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • The moon is small, about 168 miles long, and orbits about 112,468 miles (181,000 km) from Jupiter (much closer to the planet than the Earth and its moon).
    — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Sun’s piece mostly orbits a monochrome palette of heavy, inky black shading (with white outlines) and a lot of line detail, with broad, impressionistic brushstrokes characterizing the landscape — at least some of the time.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Mortars take flight The conversion kit allows conventional mortar rounds to be deployed from unmanned aerial systems (UAS), potentially expanding the range of weapons available to drone operators.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Tennessee recently paused the practice after prisoner Christa Pike, who was convicted of torturing and killing a classmate in 1995, survived two rounds of a botched lethal injection.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Circles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circles. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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