sur·round
sə-ˈrau̇nd 
surrounded; surrounding; surrounds
1
a(1)
: to enclose on all sides : envelop
the crowd surrounded her
(2)
: to enclose so as to cut off communication or retreat : invest entry 2
b
: to form or be a member of the entourage of
flatterers who surround the king
c
: to constitute part of the environment of
surrounded by poverty
d
: to extend around the margin or edge of : encircle
a wall surrounds the old city
2
: to cause to be surrounded by something
surrounded himself with friends
: something (such as a border or ambient environment) that surrounds
from urban centre to rural surround—
Emrys Jones
Emrys JonesSynonyms
Examples of surround in a Sentence
Verb
A wall surrounds the old city.
They had the suspect surrounded.
She was suddenly surrounded by a crowd of excited fans.
There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the decision.
His departure was surrounded by secrecy.
Noun
the vast, featureless surround of the desert was strangely appealing to him
Recent Examples on the Web
Alec Nevala-Lee, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
The circumstances surrounding the bodies remain unclear.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2025
Angela Serratore, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2025
The chapel reflected the Gothic Revival style with a high gabled slate roof, long, narrow Gothic arched windows with limestone surround and brick turret buttresses at the corners, according to the St. Joseph Historic Area Preservation Plan from 1991.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Dec. 2024
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Verb
The confusion surrounding Holmes stands as a cautionary tale about the manipulation of copyright law—not by opportunists exploiting a valuable piece of intellectual property, but by the character’s official custodians.
—Alec Nevala-Lee, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
The circumstances surrounding the bodies remain unclear.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
To the right is the living room, where there’s a gas fireplace with a jade-green tile surround and an ornate wood mantel with a mirror.
—Angela Serratore, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2025
The chapel reflected the Gothic Revival style with a high gabled slate roof, long, narrow Gothic arched windows with limestone surround and brick turret buttresses at the corners, according to the St. Joseph Historic Area Preservation Plan from 1991.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for surround
Dictionary Entries Near surround
Cite this Entry
“Surround.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surround. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
surround
1 of 2 verb
sur·round
sə-ˈrau̇nd
: to enclose on all sides : encircle
surround
2 of 2 noun
: something (as a border) that surrounds
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