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

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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
In recent years, as Grande has risen to super stardom, her physical appearance has been put under the microscope in certain online circles. Jack Dunn, Variety, 2 Aug. 2026 First Fridays may bring a night market; meditation and healing circles happen in a back room, with Indigenous practices led by Indigenous people. Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 The Eye Recovery Pro targets signs of aging around the eyes in 3-minute sessions using four wavelengths to help visibly brighten dark circles and reduce puffiness. ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026 Once iron stores are safely restored and hemoglobin levels rebound, the skin recovers its healthy capillary flush, and dark under-eye circles tend to fade over several months. Amy McGorry, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026 There will also be multicultural food vendors, an international marketplace, community art projects, drum circles, youth soccer, interactive art activities and family programming designed to encourage participation rather than simply observation. Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026 In those circles, producing shocking or violent content can bring attention, admiration and status. Larry Magid, Mercury News, 30 July 2026 The dragging chains had worn away all soft earth and grass, confining the dogs to circles of hard dirt. Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026 The Best Ways to Enjoy Potatoes Despite their benefits, these starchy vegetables have been denigrated in some nutrition circles because of associations with high-fat diets. Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 26 July 2026
Verb
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 The gas giant circles its star at an unexpectedly close distance—about 50 times nearer than the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 1 July 2026 Chapter 1 Randy Fields stalks through the newsroom, circles my desk and sits across from me. Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 The book circles political concerns that remain relevant today, including empire, caste prejudice, and the dangers of despotism and corruption. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circles
Noun
  • Curiously, the scientists found all three moons and the rings had a hydrated mineral the researchers were not able to identify.
    Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The ban prohibits most outdoor fires, including those for trash disposal, yard debris, land clearing, bonfires, and campfires not contained in structures such as fire rings.
    Robbie Griffiths, NPR, 2 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • One user request now triggers chains of model calls, tool executions, retrieval steps and recursive planning loops.
    Srikanta Datta, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Solar prominences One of the most surprising aspects of witnessing a total solar eclipse is a view of prominences during totality, bright pink spikes or loops that appear around the moon's silhouette.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The railway manias left behind functioning rail networks, and the dot-com bubble left behind server and network infrastructure that made the following two decades of internet companies cheap to build.
    Michael Wee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Little League Softball World Series broadcasts For the first time, every game of this year’s tournament gets a spot on one of ESPN’s linear networks.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Their strength has always been their ability to think beyond election cycles, market fluctuations, technological fads, and the crises of the moment.
    David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Troubles with its property tax system upgrade delayed some distributions from recent billing cycles at Treasurer Maria Pappas’ office while pushing this year’s cycle two months later.
    Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • As disaster risks rise, the costs of goods, services and reconstruction in affected areas may increase further, while local real estate development and investment will also face higher risk premiums.
    , CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Recently, the Pulaski County Quorum Court rejected a measure that would have established a 12-month moratorium on new data centers within unincorporated areas of the county.
    Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Eventually a ring of low-lying islands forms, built from the skeletons of the reef that surrounds it.
    NPR, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Scientists have spent years trying to understand how an animal — this animal — can survive for centuries, and a new study has now added another layer to the mystery that surrounds these predators by looking directly at their heart.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The large comet has a nucleus of 16 miles and orbits the sun every 133 years.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 July 2026
  • Conversely, Earth also orbits the sun on an ellipse, so when our planet is at aphelion (its greatest solar distance), our star appears at its smallest in the sky, extending totality.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 17 July 2026
Noun
  • The other $76,000 would primarily go toward replenishing blasting caps, flash bang rounds, rifle ammunition and smoke grenades.
    Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Patrick Cantlay heads the leaderboard of the 2026 Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club after two rounds of play, with a score of -10.
    Data Skrive, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Circles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circles. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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