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 Should people be measuring their waist circumference in addition to knowing their BMI? — Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026 The numbers were similar for women in the study, for whom 35 inches (89 cm) was the defining limit for a large waist circumference. — Mike McRae 24, New Atlas, 24 Aug. 2026 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 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 incident was largely forgotten until the last few days, when a farmer in rural Minnesota discovered a circular metal object about 11 feet in diameter lay amid the forest of corn stalks.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the ship is also equipped with a large-diameter, high-efficiency propeller to reduce fuel consumption during voyages.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of diameter
Noun
  • The southern tip of East Potomac Park, known as Hains Point, is beloved by cyclists, runners, picnickers and birders for its waterfront views, cherry trees and Ohio Drive, the scenic three-mile loop around its perimeter.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Next, save 33% on the Tapo MagCam 2K+ (C425) Outdoor Security Camera, securing your perimeter with 100% wire-free magnetic installation and 300-day battery life.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of perimeter
Noun
  • Any residents outside the 3-mile radius who smell an odor are instructed to stay indoors, close windows and doors and turn off ventilation that draws in outside air, the city said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Nearly 1,000 residents were told to evacuate overnight within a 1-mile radius of the explosion, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said at a news conference Wednesday morning.
    — John Seewer, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of radius
Noun
  • Yet, as in many speculative markets, sophisticated participants often have access to better information, stronger analytical tools and more advanced risk-management techniques than retail participants, giving them an informational edge.
    — Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The eastern edge of the park is the north-south alley that serves businesses along Laramie.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 18 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
  • But what if that expressionless gaze is a silent boundary — and those of us on the receiving end of the stare are the judgmental ones?
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Baby Dan tested the boundaries, Baby Dan defied his mother, Baby Dan threw tantrums and wouldn’t stop.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of boundary
Noun
  • The 7-foot-2 Kessler was an immediate force around both rims for the Lakers, who traded a bounty of draft capital to Utah to fill Doncic's desire for a top center.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Two of them, the central vein sign and paramagnetic rim lesions, were added to the most recent version of the diagnostic guidelines (published in 2025).
    — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of rim
Noun
  • In their letter, the bishops attempted to balance human dignity and a right for governments to humanely protect borders.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, North Korea has been adding mines, barbed wire fences, tactical roads, anti-tank walls and other fortifications to what's already one of the world's most heavily armed borders.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 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 25 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on circumference

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about circumference

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