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
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
Layla has long been one of the most familiar faces in SEC circles, known for her presence on the sidelines and devotion to her family.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Outlaw country to the core, the Illinois native espouses an uncompromising independence and social-justice righteousness missing from the Nashville mainstream — and feigned for appearance’s sake in related circles.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
In legal circles, Jim Maxwell was known as a firm founder and president of North Carolina’s state bar.
—Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Advertisement At the same time, the Maduro episode is likely to resonate deeply within Iran’s own elite circles.
—Sanam Vakil, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
Williamson was a prominent figure in New York basketball circles who went on to become a successful college assistant coach, pro scout and NBA front office executive.
—Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Williamson was a prominent figure in New York basketball circles who went on to become a successful college assistant coach, pro scout, and NBA front office executive.
—Luke Cyphers, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2026
What's really behind the baby bust The reasons Americans choose not to have children are hotly debated in academic circles, with many attributing America’s baby bust to shifting priorities and societal norms.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
The menu at the motel’s restaurant, ISH Kitchen, circles the globe from Mediterranean shawarma to Japanese ramen to a Vietnamese dish of marinated ground beef wrapped in kaffir lime leaves.
—Melanie Haiken, Outside, 24 Oct. 2025
Yet, as Team Ellison circles, the quick-footed WBD CEO supposedly has attracted the interest of Amazon and Netflix as potential buyers – or at least that’s the word on Warner Boulevard.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
The route circles the Yucatán and connects the peninsula to the neighboring states of Chiapas and Tabasco.
—Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Against a palette of softly glitching synth, Zelda flute, and twittering mechanical birds, the song circles feelings of uncertainty about commitment, sacrifice, and choosing one’s true path.
—Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2025
The menu circles the room to appreciative murmurs.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
But Harjo circles a fascinating and mischievous idea with Lee.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
In one instance, at finer resolution, the jet stream — a fast current of air that circles the Earth — migrated to the wrong location in the simulation.
—Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
In civil-rights circles, that work falls under the broad definition of legal observing.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
Layla has long been one of the most familiar faces in SEC circles, known for her presence on the sidelines and devotion to her family.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Outlaw country to the core, the Illinois native espouses an uncompromising independence and social-justice righteousness missing from the Nashville mainstream — and feigned for appearance’s sake in related circles.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
In legal circles, Jim Maxwell was known as a firm founder and president of North Carolina’s state bar.
—Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Advertisement At the same time, the Maduro episode is likely to resonate deeply within Iran’s own elite circles.
—Sanam Vakil, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
Williamson was a prominent figure in New York basketball circles who went on to become a successful college assistant coach, pro scout and NBA front office executive.
—Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Williamson was a prominent figure in New York basketball circles who went on to become a successful college assistant coach, pro scout, and NBA front office executive.
—Luke Cyphers, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2026
What's really behind the baby bust The reasons Americans choose not to have children are hotly debated in academic circles, with many attributing America’s baby bust to shifting priorities and societal norms.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
Gentleman thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) circles the prize while Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) bungles the pursuit with sublime obliviousness.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
The menu at the motel’s restaurant, ISH Kitchen, circles the globe from Mediterranean shawarma to Japanese ramen to a Vietnamese dish of marinated ground beef wrapped in kaffir lime leaves.
—Melanie Haiken, Outside, 24 Oct. 2025
Yet, as Team Ellison circles, the quick-footed WBD CEO supposedly has attracted the interest of Amazon and Netflix as potential buyers – or at least that’s the word on Warner Boulevard.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
The route circles the Yucatán and connects the peninsula to the neighboring states of Chiapas and Tabasco.
—Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Against a palette of softly glitching synth, Zelda flute, and twittering mechanical birds, the song circles feelings of uncertainty about commitment, sacrifice, and choosing one’s true path.
—Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2025
The menu circles the room to appreciative murmurs.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
But Harjo circles a fascinating and mischievous idea with Lee.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
In one instance, at finer resolution, the jet stream — a fast current of air that circles the Earth — migrated to the wrong location in the simulation.
—Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circles
Noun
-
Together with thin shallot rings, the bird fries in a coating of rice flour to achieve an airy crispness and plenty of splintered, shattering bits of batter.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The robot picks unsorted bearing rings and places them onto a buffer table.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The wide-leg silhouette keeps the look current, while belt loops help sell the illusion of real denim.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Unlike many royal tiaras which feature sharp geometric spikes of diamonds or uniform loops, the Spencer Tiara has a more natural design known as the garland style.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Beyond tools and workflow organization, FinBursa’s marketplace is designed to enable professionals to expand their networks organically.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Linking quantum computers to create powerful, high-speed quantum networks involves entangling atoms through a fiber cable.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Donut Lab says the battery can deliver up to 100,000 charge cycles with minimal capacity fade, while retaining more than 99% capacity in temperatures ranging from –30°C (–22°F) to above 100°C (above 212°F), without ignition or performance loss.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Jan. 2026
-
From trad wives to spin classes to caregiving, Smithuijsen reveals how late stage capitalism strips women of agency and traps them in endless cycles of empty consumption and thankless labor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Some might have expected Declan Rice alone to win those headers or harass the opposition in that manner, but the partnership between these two is about more than just Zubimendi allowing the England midfielder to burst into goalscoring areas.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Motorists should be alert for sudden changes in visibility due to the areas of dense fog.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Yet, their followings are distinct from the quasi-religious fervor thar surrounds Khan.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Last year, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame chairman John Sykes cracked open the door to dispel a bit of mystique that surrounds his nominating committee.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
That's because of how the moon orbits our planet.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Supermoons happen because of how the moon orbits our planet, say experts, which isn't a neat little circle.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The duo played three rounds of rock-paper-scissors to decide who would speak first.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
9 Nov. 2025
-
From extension removal to a preliminary cut and a few rounds of color, the transformation took a total of four days to complete with the help of celebrity colorist Jacob Schwartz.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circles. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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