1
a
: in a circle or in circumference
The wheel goes around.
a tree five feet around
b
: in, along, or through a circuit
The road goes around by the lake.
2
a
: on all or various sides : in every or any direction
papers lying around
There was nothing for miles around.
b
: in close from all sides so as to surround
People crowded around.
c
: in or near one's present place or situation
We had to wait around awhile.
3
a
: here and there : from one place to another
She travels around on business.
b
: to a particular place
You should come around for dinner.
c
—used with some verbs to indicate repeated or continued action
He's always joking around when he should be serious.
Don't play around with your food.
4
a
: in rotation or succession
Another winter has come around.
b
: from beginning to end : through
The weather is mild the year around.
c
: in order
the other way around
5
: in or to an opposite direction or position
turn around
6
: with some approach to exactness : approximately
It costs around $5.
1
a
: on all sides of
a yard with a fence around it
b
: so as to encircle or enclose
seated around the table
c
: so as to avoid or get past : on or to another side of
trying to find a way around their objections
We went around the lake.
around the corner
d
: near
lives around Chicago
around the turn of the century
2
: in all directions outward from
Look around you.
3
: here and there in or throughout
They went barnstorming around the country.
4
: so as to have a center or basis in
a society organized around kinship ties
1
: about sense 1
He has been up and around for two days.
2
: being in existence, evidence, or circulation
… the most intelligent of the artists around today.—
R. M. Coates
R. M. CoatesSynonyms
Examples of around in a Sentence
Adverb
Don't take the long way around: I know a shortcut.
He entered the room and looked around.
This is a very interesting town: let me show you around.
I'm not sure where it is, but it must be around somewhere.
It's safer when there are other people around.
I'd like to speak to him if he's around.
Preposition
The people were seated around the table.
A crowd gathered around him.
He tied the rope around his waist.
We went all around the lake enjoying the different views.
They sailed around the world.
He's a well-known figure around the town.
We drove all around the town looking for him.
This is a very interesting town: let me show you around it.
We took a tour around New England.
You can find lots of good restaurants around here.
Adjective
she's generally regarded as one of the most talented singers around
Recent Examples on the WebThéoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2024
On the base, which is dedicated mostly to aviation training, people walked around quietly and with good posture, their flight suits swishing.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Oil prices rose around 1% on Friday over geopolitical tensions in the Middle East but posted a weekly loss in the face of worries about slower cuts to U.S. interest rates and other global economic factors.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that Carey’s generosity likely cost him around $1 million over the course of the strike.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Apr. 2024
Officers responded to the intersection of Crowley Road and Country Manor Road around 3 a.m. after getting a call about a possible domestic disturbance.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024
This time around, Trian spent months pounding Disney with position papers and pointed critiques over financial struggles and questionable calls, such as Disney’s 2019 acquisition of much of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox entertainment assets.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
This time around, the subscription bump is to pay for something that subscribers might not want in the first place.
—Oscar Gonzalez / Gizmodo, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2024
According to Bloomberg, Swift's earnings from Spotify and YouTube total around $120 million while royalties from music sales rake in another $80 million.
—Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 16 Apr. 2024
Last year, Habib was among around 20 software developers and startup CEOs to attend a closed-door meeting with Sam Altman.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024
While Russia has around 1.15 million servicemen — amounting to almost the entire population of neighboring Estonia — France has only 200,000.
—Ania Nussbaum, Fortune Europe, 16 Apr. 2024
Like all operations in show business, output from Participant sputtered over the pandemic to only two films released in 2022 and 2023, down from around three times that in years prior.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024
In 1938, around the same time as the high-spirited children’s lecture, the latest in a long list of doctors died during self-trials with anesthesia.
—Rachel Lance, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024
Wednesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 11 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 56 degrees.
—The Courier-Journal, 16 Apr. 2024
On average, Ohioans moving along a road in the wrong direction travel around 0.72 miles before causing a crash, according to ODOT.
—Max Filby, The Enquirer, 5 Apr. 2024
This current form of bird flu, a strain called H5N1, has been circulating in birds around the world since late 2021.
—Sara G. Miller, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Jane Herman, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2024
Now a senior, Isbell set the school record for all-around score with a 38.5, topping the 18-year-old standard by 0.1 points, in a meet against Woburn Jan. 18.
—Kat Cornetta, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Jan. 2023
Lee scored two perfect 10s, setting the program career record for 10s in the process, and took home the all-around title at Coleman Coliseum, but the Tigers fell to the Tide, 197.850-197.700 in a head-to-head dual meet.
—Tom Green | Tgreen@al.com, al, 3 Feb. 2023
In this corner, standing 5-foot-3 and winner of the 2022 NCAA women’s gymnastics all-around title, Florida’s Trinity Thomas.
—Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2023
In 1983, Dianne Durham became the first Black woman to win the U.S.A. Gymnastics senior national championship and beat Mary Lou Retton to take the all-around title at the McDonald’s International Gymnastics Championship in Los Angeles.
—Andrea Williams Taylor Baucom, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2022
The 17-year-old who trains at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Plano had been a virtual lock to lead the U.S. team in Liverpool, England, in late October after winning the two-day national championship all-around title in August.
—Dallas News, 5 Oct. 2022
She's poised to become the first woman to win back-to-back all-around titles in more than 50 years.
—Jeva Lange, The Week, 23 July 2021
On Sunday, Biles made history once again by becoming the first American woman to win seven national women’s all-around titles at the 2021 US Gymnastics Championships in Fort Worth, TX.
—Asia Ewart, refinery29.com, 8 June 2021
Adverb
In the year since, between the many hours a week he’s spent walking around carrying his detector and his decision to start intermittent fasting, Ken says he’s dropped about 120 pounds.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2024
On the base, which is dedicated mostly to aviation training, people walked around quietly and with good posture, their flight suits swishing.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Oil prices rose around 1% on Friday over geopolitical tensions in the Middle East but posted a weekly loss in the face of worries about slower cuts to U.S. interest rates and other global economic factors.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that Carey’s generosity likely cost him around $1 million over the course of the strike.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Apr. 2024
Officers responded to the intersection of Crowley Road and Country Manor Road around 3 a.m. after getting a call about a possible domestic disturbance.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024
This time around, Trian spent months pounding Disney with position papers and pointed critiques over financial struggles and questionable calls, such as Disney’s 2019 acquisition of much of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox entertainment assets.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
This time around, the subscription bump is to pay for something that subscribers might not want in the first place.
—Oscar Gonzalez / Gizmodo, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2024
According to Bloomberg, Swift's earnings from Spotify and YouTube total around $120 million while royalties from music sales rake in another $80 million.
—Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
Preposition
Puff Cannabis also has special deals at their locations around the state.
—Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 16 Apr. 2024
Last year, Habib was among around 20 software developers and startup CEOs to attend a closed-door meeting with Sam Altman.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024
While Russia has around 1.15 million servicemen — amounting to almost the entire population of neighboring Estonia — France has only 200,000.
—Ania Nussbaum, Fortune Europe, 16 Apr. 2024
Like all operations in show business, output from Participant sputtered over the pandemic to only two films released in 2022 and 2023, down from around three times that in years prior.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024
In 1938, around the same time as the high-spirited children’s lecture, the latest in a long list of doctors died during self-trials with anesthesia.
—Rachel Lance, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024
Wednesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 11 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 56 degrees.
—The Courier-Journal, 16 Apr. 2024
On average, Ohioans moving along a road in the wrong direction travel around 0.72 miles before causing a crash, according to ODOT.
—Max Filby, The Enquirer, 5 Apr. 2024
This current form of bird flu, a strain called H5N1, has been circulating in birds around the world since late 2021.
—Sara G. Miller, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Start by making small abrasions in the areas where holes or fraying would naturally occur: At the knees, yes, but also the around hems, pocket edges, and button holes.
—Jane Herman, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2024
Now a senior, Isbell set the school record for all-around score with a 38.5, topping the 18-year-old standard by 0.1 points, in a meet against Woburn Jan. 18.
—Kat Cornetta, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Jan. 2023
Lee scored two perfect 10s, setting the program career record for 10s in the process, and took home the all-around title at Coleman Coliseum, but the Tigers fell to the Tide, 197.850-197.700 in a head-to-head dual meet.
—Tom Green | Tgreen@al.com, al, 3 Feb. 2023
In this corner, standing 5-foot-3 and winner of the 2022 NCAA women’s gymnastics all-around title, Florida’s Trinity Thomas.
—Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2023
In 1983, Dianne Durham became the first Black woman to win the U.S.A. Gymnastics senior national championship and beat Mary Lou Retton to take the all-around title at the McDonald’s International Gymnastics Championship in Los Angeles.
—Andrea Williams Taylor Baucom, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2022
The 17-year-old who trains at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Plano had been a virtual lock to lead the U.S. team in Liverpool, England, in late October after winning the two-day national championship all-around title in August.
—Dallas News, 5 Oct. 2022
She's poised to become the first woman to win back-to-back all-around titles in more than 50 years.
—Jeva Lange, The Week, 23 July 2021
On Sunday, Biles made history once again by becoming the first American woman to win seven national women’s all-around titles at the 2021 US Gymnastics Championships in Fort Worth, TX.
—Asia Ewart, refinery29.com, 8 June 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'around.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near around
Cite this Entry
“Around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/around. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
around
1 of 2 adverb1
: in circumference
a tree five feet around
2
: in or along a curving path
3
: on all sides
papers lying around
4
: nearby
stick around a while
5
: here and there in various places
travel around
6
: to each in turn
pass the fruit around
7
: from beginning to end
mild the year around
8
: in or to an opposite direction or position
turn around
9
: close to : approximately
costs around $20
around
2 of 2 preposition1
a
: on all sides of
were fields around the village
b
: so as to encircle or enclose
people seated around the table
c
: on or to another side of
voyage around Cape Horn
d
: near to
lives around Chicago
2
: here and there in or throughout
travel around the country
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