circumference

noun

sər-ˈkəm(p)-fərn(t)s How to pronounce circumference (audio)
Definition of circumferencenext
1
as in diameter
the distance around a round body the circumference of the earth at the equator

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in perimeter
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something a silly little affair that's of interest to no one beyond the circumference of this campus

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 circumference The ratio of a person’s waist to hip circumference, or their waist circumference to height are pretty good estimators of their abdominal fat deposits. — Literary Hub, 17 Aug. 2026 The Sierra Club, an environmental nonprofit, is planning to appeal the permits the city issued to remove five trees from the site, including a black olive with a trunk that’s nearly six feet in circumference. — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026 Researchers looked at waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 Malnutrition rates were determined by weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) and mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC). — Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for circumference
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumference
  1. diameter
  2. perimeter
  3. radius
  4. edge
  5. equator
  6. boundary
  7. rim
  8. border
Noun
  • The duration of totality is a function of the diameter of the moon's shadow.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Apple's design uses a large-diameter, low-speed fan that can move a high volume of air at very low rotational speed.
    — Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of diameter
Noun
  • Like conventional pickup toppers, the Trunk mounts to the upper perimeter of the pickup bed, leaving most of the bed's volume untouched.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The question is whether there’s a late-game assassin (traditionally a perimeter player) on the roster.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of perimeter
Noun
  • Unlike typical neighborhood supermarkets that draw from a 2-to-3-mile radius, Wegmans stores regularly pull customers from an 8-to-10-mile area, Meisel said.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Within a 25-mile radius, there are three UNESCO World Heritage sites.
    — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of radius
Noun
  • To continue to compete at the cutting edge, OpenAI needs to keep raising cash.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The quick short corner surprised Greenville (6-16-5), and Barea hit the edge of the 18-yard box before lifting a cross to the far post.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of edge
Noun
  • Earth experiences two equinoxes each year — the first in March and the second in September — when the sun crosses the celestial equator, an imaginary line in the sky directly above Earth's equator.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • This is the moment when the sun crosses directly above Earth's equator, moving south into the celestial sphere.
    — Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of equator
Noun
  • Pakistan, which went with five specialized bowlers plus Ayub’s offspin, surprisingly went with the option of part-timer Saad Masood in the second over that allowed Sharma to break free by smacking three sixes and a boundary in the 24-run over.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Community meetings about new school boundaries will take place from mid-October through mid-November.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of boundary
Noun
  • Live orchestral recordings have been used to replicate the noise of a combustion engine; other sound effects include a finger on the rim of a crystal glass for the voice command response.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Rules are changing Early in the second quarter, Wilson rumbled into the lane and attempted to use his off arm to create a few inches of space before laying the ball across the rim.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of rim
Noun
  • The remains, discovered at a Greek border area 60 years ago, were flown to the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, aboard a military aircraft that was escorted by Bulgarian air force fighter jets from the country's border with Greece.
    — COSTAS KANTOURIS, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • What starts as a brief encounter blossoms into a romance that transcends national borders.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of border

Browse Nearby Words

circumambulating
circumference
circumferences
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Cite this Entry

“Circumference.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumference. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on circumference

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about circumference

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