1
as in limiting
to set bounds or an upper limit for
circumscribed his enthusiasm so as not to make the losing side feel worse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in defining
to mark the limits of
Lake Michigan circumscribes the city of Chicago on the east
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 circumscribing
This wouldn’t be the first time the Court has avoided a head-on fight with the other branches, especially after Congress makes noise about circumscribing its authority.
—
Time, 14 Nov. 2025
Time, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumscribing
Verb
-
The practice is supposedly diverting capital away from construction, limiting the number of homes changing hands and crowding out owner-occupiers.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Under the new agreement, brand-limiting NCAA punishments against any of those three programs would trigger the same 30% reduction, while men’s hockey would be subject to a smaller, 20% cut.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That ability to reframe identity has become one of her defining strengths.—
Gemma Allen,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Named after a now-defunct Houston theme park, Astroworld was both intimate and engineered for scale, marking the culmination of Scott’s early ascent and establishing him as one of the defining rap artists of his era.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But efforts to mitigate human harms—restricting harvests, remodeling dams, breeding salmon in hatcheries—are yielding diminishing returns.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The onerous covenants include, among others, restricting WBD’s ability to modify, renew or terminate affiliation agreements.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circumscribing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumscribing. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
