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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in defined
to mark the limits of
Lake Michigan circumscribes the city of Chicago on the east
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of 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
Washingtonians are already sensitive about their circumscribed rights.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 9 Aug. 2025
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
Like other forms of self expression, digital-communication technology has become dangerously circumscribed under Trump; only the tools that exist independent of Big Tech seem like safe bets for dissent.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2025
But recently, Ware said that attacks have been circumscribed to far fewer victims - even when there was the opportunity to kill more.
—NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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
Washingtonians are already sensitive about their circumscribed rights.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
Like other forms of self expression, digital-communication technology has become dangerously circumscribed under Trump; only the tools that exist independent of Big Tech seem like safe bets for dissent.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2025
But recently, Ware said that attacks have been circumscribed to far fewer victims - even when there was the opportunity to kill more.
—NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumscribed
Adjective
-
Daryanani also noted that Apple’s recently reported revenue and EPS (earnings per share) for the December quarter exceeded expectations, with the company delivering better-than-expected gross margin, driven by limited memory impact and robust Services growth.—
TipRanks,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Currently, the electronic skin only covers limited surface areas.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In China, once a major market for Nvidia, US tech controls have restricted exports of its cutting-edge chips, significantly impacting sales in the world’s second largest economy.—
Rosa de Acosta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Following lawsuits and regulatory pressure, the company restricted access for users under 18.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In a media landscape increasingly defined by power and influence, the emails offer journalists a cautionary tale and a road map for covering the elite.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Healthcare’s next era will likely be defined by infrastructures that mirror those in fintech or logistics, systems that operate invisibly beneath the surface while enabling every stakeholder to move with confidence.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
There is a finite number of flavors, after all, and teams drink Gatorade at every practice, game and post-game press conference.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Some restaurants are finite expressions of their time and place.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Auroras are typically confined to high latitudes near Earth's north and south magnetic poles, making sightings in the Southern Hemisphere this far north of Antarctica very rare.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
In 2020, the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, which was confined to six streets in Seattle, lasted 23 days.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The zone is bounded by State Route 237 to the north, Calabazas Creek to the west, Highway 101 and Montague Expressway to the south and the Guadalupe River to the east.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The dog first bounded over to his owner, Ryan Pera, to say hi.—
Aviva Bechky,
Houston Chronicle,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Experts believe the crown’s flexible mount was strained when thieves wrenched it from its display through a narrow slot cut by the angle grinder, according to a report by the Louvre.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
While investigators continue to evaluate the validity of the notes, some Americans may wonder if the Bitcoin address would be enough to find the culprit or at least narrow the search for the kidnapper.—
Jane Onyanga-Omara,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circumscribed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumscribed. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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