1
as in to circle
to travel completely around
communication satellites encircling the earth
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2
as in to surround
to form a circle around
immediately after announcing their engagement, the couple was encircled by their applauding friends
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encircle
The round diamond, encircled by a halo of smaller diamonds, sits on a double-diamond band.
—
Ilana Frost, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
Police then encircled the shooter, who used one more bullet on himself.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
As for the county of Los Angeles, about half of its 4,700-plus square miles are made up of the forests and oceans and deserts that encircle it.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
The upper features criss-crossing straps across the toes and skinner straps encircling the ankle.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for encircle
Ilana Frost, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
Police then encircled the shooter, who used one more bullet on himself.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
As for the county of Los Angeles, about half of its 4,700-plus square miles are made up of the forests and oceans and deserts that encircle it.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
The upper features criss-crossing straps across the toes and skinner straps encircling the ankle.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for encircle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encircle
Verb
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Now, Pakistan is quietly growing its influence in the region while Washington and Tehran circle one another for another round of negotiations.—
Rafi Schwartz,
TheWeek,
13 May 2026
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Given rumors were circling that José Mourinho was on his way back to manage the team next season, some assumed Pérez would be addressing that, looking to steady the ship after a torrid few months in the Spanish capital.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Tennessee’s social media team went up and down Broadway, and the surrounding area in downtown Nashville to find lookalikes of key figures of their 2026 opponents.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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It’s mostly surrounded by embassies and law firms, not cafés or galleries.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Verb
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At present, around seven major subsea cables traverse the strait, with most clustered around a narrow band along the Omani side of the waterway.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
17 May 2026
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More than 3,000 miles of trails traverse the wilderness area, from approachable day hikes to intensive multiday backpacking routes.—
Taryn Shorr-Mckee,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
Verb
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By 2030, some 100,000 satellites may orbit the planet, with further steep growth expected in the coming decades.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
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Just as diurnal ants follow the relatively steady movement of the sun, the bull ant species has adapted to the orbiting moon’s constant changes, according to research published in .—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encircle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encircle. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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