circling 1 of 2

adjective

as in swirling

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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
Potential contenders including former health chief Nirav Shah and ex-Senate president Troy Jackson are circling, while disillusioned voters liken Platner’s exit to Democrats’ last-minute scramble to replace Joe Biden. — Kimberlee Kruesi, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026 Sources tell Variety that programmers at each of the fall festivals — Venice, Telluride, Toronto and New York — are circling the title, though a premiere venue has yet to be set. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 July 2026 As the boy backs away, the family's husky mix, Bella, is seen running over from across the yard and chasing the bear away, circling behind the animal and placing itself in between the bear and the boy. — Mason Leib, ABC News, 7 July 2026 What the Research Would Have Predicted The management literature has been circling this insight for a long time. — Luis E. Romero, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 The evening of the shoot, there was frequent hum of tourist helicopters circling the island, and a few party boats blasting music, which threatened to put a damper on the plans. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026 Minutes later the pike was just under the surface, circling close to the boat. — Jack G. Mell, Outdoor Life, 2 July 2026 Around the time that the drone appeared, two aircraft began following the Fiorella, descending toward it, climbing away, and circling. — Will Freeman, New Yorker, 30 June 2026 Other wearable tech companies have been circling this space. — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circling
  1. swirling
  2. surrounding
  3. orbiting
  4. spiral
  5. encircling
  6. traversing
  7. spiraling
  8. crossing
Adjective
  • Also amid the swirling news cycle, the Kentucky senator's youngest daughter, Porter McConnell, deleted her social media account on X, according to the Independent.
    — Gabrielle Banks, USA Today, 10 July 2026
  • The cornerstone of Boards classics is a blurring retrofuturism achieved via swirling and clashing sample, synth, and guitar textures.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 July 2026
Definition of swirling
Verb
  • Nester also called into question the security protocols surrounding the event, asking Bagley about how many officers were assigned and other preparations.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • All shades, all colors, 4 million faces surrounding them with resounding support and unrequited love.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of surrounding
Verb
  • And typically, the extreme radiation around these stars totally strips the atmospheres from the planets orbiting them, so astronomers have wondered if planets orbiting these stars can have an atmosphere at all.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 16 July 2026
  • But a study in Wednesday’s issue of Nature describes observations of helium being lost from the atmosphere of an exoplanet orbiting the star LHS 1140, about 50 light-years away.
    — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026
Definition of orbiting
Adjective
  • Greece’s financial crisis wiped out a quarter of the country’s economy, plunging it into a depression that saw poverty spiral and unemployment skyrocket to around 27%.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • The spiral approach, on the other hand, repeats concepts over and over, starting with the basics and gradually adding new complexities each time for a deeper understanding.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of spiral
Verb
  • Cheers roared from the crowd encircling the concrete arena as two skateboarders slammed into each other at top speed.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 June 2026
  • Styled by Brad Goreski, Moore wore a custom cobalt blue Self Portrait gown with an oversized bow encircling the hips, falling into a train.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 May 2026
Definition of encircling
Verb
  • The property’s expert concierge is always a WhatsApp message away and can arrange a menu of experiences at the villas or nearby resort for you—or leave your schedule empty for hours spent by the pool and traversing nearby cliffs and beaches.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • Individuals have been traversing the globe on their own as far back as travel records have been recorded.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of traversing
Adjective
  • The basic idea is that when anxiety spikes, pulling out a few sensory-engaging items can stave off panic by interrupting spiraling thoughts.
    — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Still annoyed, weirdly offended, and slightly spiraling.
    — Jenna Ryu, SELF, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of spiraling
Verb
  • These temperature changes are the result of Pluto subtly heating up and cooling down as its elliptical orbit brings it slightly closer to the sun, crossing inside Neptune's orbit, and then moving farther away again.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 16 July 2026
  • In January, a 50-year-old man who has not been identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office died at a hospital after being struck while crossing the road near 49th Street.
    — Madison Smalstig July 16, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026
Definition of crossing

Browse Nearby Words

circlets
circling
circuit
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Circling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circling. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on circling

Nglish: Translation of circling for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All