as in limited
having distinct or certain limits
the powers of that state's governor are so sharply circumscribed that often his hands are tied by the state legislature
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in restricted
to set bounds or an upper limit for
circumscribed his enthusiasm so as not to make the losing side feel worse
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in defined
to mark the limits of
Lake Michigan circumscribes the city of Chicago on the east
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Recent Examples of circumscribed
Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Feb. 2026
Yes, their lives have become this circumscribed.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026
Thompson-Hernández acknowledges that while Watts might be a small community, a relative sliver of greater Los Angeles, imagination flourishes in the most circumscribed places.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Joan understands that their circumscribed lives now give their eternity its meaning.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 26 Nov. 2025
In reality, as for most visiting celebrities, her itinerary was narrowly circumscribed.
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
While Swift’s life is extraordinary, it’s also cloistered by wealth and celebrity; perhaps the range of feelings she’s allowed to experience has become circumscribed.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Barrett understood its more circumscribed project.
—Stefan Fatsis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025
There’s a circumscribed way to open the soju bottle, a correct way to pour and drink.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
Eventually, the area in the Pentagon where reporters were allowed was circumscribed to a single corridor outside the press room – even though the public affairs officers who worked most closely with reporters were in an office on the other side of the 6½-million-square-foot building.
—Kathy Kiely, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2026
Under the Constitution, the concept of a militia is a specific and narrowly circumscribed one.
—Larry Pino, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
But the apartheid regime became a police state that heavily circumscribed its white citizens’ lives, too.
—Eve Fairbanks, The Dial, 27 Jan. 2026
No matter their financial situation, these characters are circumscribed by their situations (class, responsibilities, families) and desire more—or something else entirely.
—Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Their sovereign capacity to realign is circumscribed by the very architectures that protect them.
—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Only one major financial institution is currently investing in a presence downtown, defined as the area circumscribed by I-35, I-30, I-45 and Woodall Rogers Freeway.
—Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
Each of Cicellis’s young protagonists arrives at the grim realization that their life is circumscribed not by a god but by the pull of obligation to an undeserving parent or mentor.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Signs will redirect cyclists around the circumscribed area, requiring them in some cases to take winding alternative routes.
—Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Feb. 2026
Yes, their lives have become this circumscribed.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026
Thompson-Hernández acknowledges that while Watts might be a small community, a relative sliver of greater Los Angeles, imagination flourishes in the most circumscribed places.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Joan understands that their circumscribed lives now give their eternity its meaning.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 26 Nov. 2025
In reality, as for most visiting celebrities, her itinerary was narrowly circumscribed.
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
While Swift’s life is extraordinary, it’s also cloistered by wealth and celebrity; perhaps the range of feelings she’s allowed to experience has become circumscribed.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Barrett understood its more circumscribed project.
—Stefan Fatsis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025
There’s a circumscribed way to open the soju bottle, a correct way to pour and drink.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
Representatives from hostile states like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are circumscribed in their movements, typically limited to a small radius around their official posts—an embassy, a consulate, a permanent mission to the UN.
—Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
Eventually, the area in the Pentagon where reporters were allowed was circumscribed to a single corridor outside the press room – even though the public affairs officers who worked most closely with reporters were in an office on the other side of the 6½-million-square-foot building.
—Kathy Kiely, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2026
Under the Constitution, the concept of a militia is a specific and narrowly circumscribed one.
—Larry Pino, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
But the apartheid regime became a police state that heavily circumscribed its white citizens’ lives, too.
—Eve Fairbanks, The Dial, 27 Jan. 2026
No matter their financial situation, these characters are circumscribed by their situations (class, responsibilities, families) and desire more—or something else entirely.
—Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Their sovereign capacity to realign is circumscribed by the very architectures that protect them.
—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Only one major financial institution is currently investing in a presence downtown, defined as the area circumscribed by I-35, I-30, I-45 and Woodall Rogers Freeway.
—Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
Each of Cicellis’s young protagonists arrives at the grim realization that their life is circumscribed not by a god but by the pull of obligation to an undeserving parent or mentor.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumscribed
Adjective
-
Steep price drops on the prospect of peace have pushed many oil bulls to the sidelines, leaving them to hold small positions for very limited periods of time, several traders said.—
Devika Krishna Kumar,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
-
Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, said Canada was overreacting as Texas and USDA are moving quickly to contain and eradicate screwworm in a limited area of South Texas.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
The airline also restricted the conditions under which refunds would be provided, prompting pushback from some plus-size travelers who argued the changes would make their trips more complicated.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
This restriction travels with the pick rather than with the team, so a future pick that now belongs to another team could still be restricted on lottery night.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
But unlike previous tournaments dominated by television commercials and corporate sponsorships, this World Cup may ultimately be defined by creators.—
Ian Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
For more than 60 years, Sanlorenzo has defined Italian excellence in yacht building, crafting custom superyachts that combine refined design with innovative engineering.—
Rachel Ingram,
Robb Report,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Experts said that given finite defense resources, the capital, Kyiv – a main strategic target and the seat of government – would be expected to be better defended than other regions and less populated areas.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
But the moment is finite - and the investment story that has carried adaptation this far won’t carry it the rest of the way.—
Jamil Wyne,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Microsoft does material science Microsoft is one of the few companies working on topological qubits, based on the distinct physics that occurs when particles are confined.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2026
-
Advertisement The violence is not confined to Colorado.—
Susan Rona,
Time,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The idea, in a nutshell, is that AI’s input should be bounded by human initiative and direction.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Lam said that Vietnam recognizes that competition among countries is a reality of international relations, but highlighted that competition must be bounded by law, guided by transparency, and exercised with restraint.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Malaysian diver Lee Kian Lie told CNN that rescue divers were teaching the villagers how to dive out of the cave themselves, as the space is narrow and water levels are not coming down despite efforts to pump the water out.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
Delegates to the state conventions don’t mirror the broader electorate, and their candidate selections can often represent more narrow preference of the party base.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circumscribed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumscribed. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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