circling 1 of 2

adjective

as in swirling

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circling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of circle
1
as in surrounding
to form a circle around everyone circled the lectern and waited their turn to read from the Bible

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in orbiting
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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of circling
Verb
Attendees may make a habit of circling conflicts and calculating whether ten minutes of one set is worth the hike before another begins. — Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 The trio lived and worked in space for 245 days, circling Earth 3,920 times and traveling a total of nearly 104 million miles (167 million kilometers), according to NASA. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026 The spec script has the potential as a strong vehicle for an actress, and at least one is already circling. — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 Due to a combination of circling real estate developers and personal financial crises, the Pogues’ homes are under threat. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026 The film premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section to rave reviews and a lengthy standing ovation before buyers quickly started circling and A24 emerged with the worldwide rights. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026 Thanksgiving always has produced an interesting dynamic with five tall, energetic kids circling for a turkey leg. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 These are two companies that have been circling each other seemingly somewhat in competition. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 14 Aug. 2026 Related Stories The series follows Jimmy Frank (Franco), an eccentric ad agency CEO who projects confidence and humor while contending with risk and unresolved fallout from his past, including criminal and supernatural threats circling his company. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circling
  1. swirling
  2. surrounding
  3. orbiting
  4. spiral
  5. encircling
  6. traversing
  7. spiraling
  8. crossing
Adjective
  • Long, parallel avenues organize the space into legible districts —lending order to the swirling movement — with the oculus serving as a useful center of orientation.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This arrangement was decorated with swirling crystal designs; additionally, a spiral of crystals wrapped around the style’s towering stiletto heel.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of swirling
Verb
  • The market is attempting to judge how long high capital expenditures and elevated valuations surrounding AI can be sustained.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • So surrounding Antetokounmpo with shooting was the smart strategy, because the data suggests offenses play at well above-average levels when the two-time MVP is paired with elite shooting.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of surrounding
Verb
  • In 2001, Canadarm2 was attached to the International Space Station and used to help build the orbiting laboratory.
    — Joanna Goodrich, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Canada's GHGSat has a program in which employees name the company's Earth-orbiting satellites after family members, which has generated names from real-life people like Eleonore and Penny.
    — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of orbiting
Adjective
  • But your first goal is to make sure that one unexpected bill doesn't trigger a debt spiral — even $25 per pay period is a start.
    — Dan Avery, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Queen conchs live in spiral, sandy-colored shells with a bright pink or orange interior.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of spiral
Verb
  • There are no bleachers, so spectators set up lawn chairs encircling the field.
    — Kelenna Onukwugha, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Its signature Hémisphère features fine grooves encircling each plate like rings around a planet.
    — Angela Tafoya, Architectural Digest, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of encircling
Verb
  • Now, agents are capable of performing sophisticated workflows and traversing multiple applications by leveraging a critical artifact of modern computing, the application programming interface (API).
    — George C. Lee II, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The pair left their vehicle to find assistance, traversing salt flats toward Badwater Road, a two-lane highway encircled by mountains.
    — Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of traversing
Adjective
  • Libfeld brought a massive, spiraling kudu horn to practice with at a recent Torat Emet shofar class.
    — Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Aside from a spiraling Wanda, there was also an onslaught of high-profile cameos, which almost felt like fandom wish fulfillment designed to keep us entertained when Wanda wasn’t around.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of spiraling
Verb
  • On an August morning two years ago, Meredith Melville was crossing Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, California, to meet a friend at a cafe.
    — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Her vehicle was eventually logged crossing into Mexico by the Department of Homeland Security.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of crossing

Browse Nearby Words

circlets
circling
circuit
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Cite this Entry

“Circling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circling. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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