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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Blyth injured her back in a toboggan accident and spent over a year recovering, limiting her ability to profit off her success in the film.
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The decree requires law enforcement to meet specific goals before federal oversight is removed, including changes to the use of force policy, limiting military-style tactics during protests and banning handcuffing children under 14.
Verb
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Long before the disputes that would ultimately lead to the colonies seeking their independence from England, racial slavery had become a defining feature of Virginia’s economic and social structure.
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That’s the gist of a 181-page report from a team of University of California researchers that was charged with defining the factors to be resolved before such a system could be implemented.
Verb
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Utah's Governor Cox declared a state of emergency earlier this week, restricting fireworks displays ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.
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Following their return, the council later passed an immigration action plan and an ordinance restricting city property from civil immigration enforcement on a 9-0 vote, despite the disruption.
Cite this Entry
“Circumscribing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumscribing. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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