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
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2
as in defining
to mark the limits of
Lake Michigan circumscribes the city of Chicago on the east
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Recent Examples of circumscribing
In quick succession, the Court began circumscribing Congress’s ability to define rights and act on its constitutional imagination.
—
Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
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
Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumscribing
Verb
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Acting Director Nick Anderson testified that staffing has dropped to roughly 40%, sharply limiting the agency's ability to monitor threats and conduct outreach.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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Elsa Mendoza has multiple sclerosis, limiting her travel options.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Again, there is no official criterion defining a low-contact relationship, so don’t get hung up on labels.—
Ashley Oerman,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2026
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Supreme Indigo is the mill’s defining color story for the season.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The United States should more forcefully deter other countries from restricting digital trade.—
Josh Kallmer,
Fortune,
19 Apr. 2026
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Plymouth is the latest Massachusetts town to adopt a policy restricting local police cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a wave of legislation aimed at impeding the agency’s ability to conduct operations in the state comes out of Beacon Hill.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circumscribing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumscribing. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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