1
as in wrapping
to encircle or bind with or as if with a belt
trees girdled the campus, essentially hiding it from view wire girdling the bundle of firewood
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in circling
to travel completely around
an asteroid belt that girdles the inner planets of the solar system
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in surrounding
to form a circle around
the rings that famously girdle the planet Saturn
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Recent Examples of girdling
Also, the rootball should be inspected for circling or girdling roots.
—
Larry Figart, Florida Times-Union, 14 Jan. 2026
Removing this layer restricts the tree from moving water up from the roots or nutrients back down, a process known as girdling.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2025
Larry Figart, Florida Times-Union, 14 Jan. 2026
Removing this layer restricts the tree from moving water up from the roots or nutrients back down, a process known as girdling.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for girdling
Verb
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According to a report from CNN, Burger King decided to stop wrapping Whoppers in paper after years of complaints about smushed burgers.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
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Later in the year, Styles will kick off his Together, Together tour, which marks his first big set of performances since wrapping his Love on Tour in 2023.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Smartphone makers have over the years gradually infused software with more AI tools—like the ability to search for something just by circling it on screen or erasing unwanted objects from photos.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
25 Feb. 2026
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Even while in the hospital, Lamb got in his daily 10,000 steps by circling the halls of the cardiac wing.—
Laura Berrios,
AJC.com,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The 36 cottages and suites are terraced up the surrounding hillsides.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Feb. 2026
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Now, incidents like these occur far too frequently for some, who believe vagrancy and crime from surrounding neighborhoods is beginning to creep into Wedgwood Square.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Blackbird Mountain Guides group had spent three days traversing Castle Peak’s wild terrain and staying in huts near Donner Summit – an area that before 2020 was closed to the public for nearly a century.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Walking between buildings requires walking across sand and uneven surfaces, and traversing various stairs.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Houseplant roots that are damaged, encircling, or severely overgrown can be pruned back slightly to rejuvenate the plant and free up space in the pot.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Feb. 2026
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The rehaut features deep-blue Tambour markings and modern numerals on a crisp white background, encircling a 24-hour GMT scale at a lower level.—
Thor Svaboe,
Robb Report,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This is the first spaceflight for Cardman and Platonov, the fourth trip for Fincke, and the second for Yui, to the orbiting laboratory.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026
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The study authors report the discovery of a rocky planet orbiting in the outer reaches of this system, exactly where scientists would expect to find a gas-rich world.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Girdling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/girdling. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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