1
as in to limit
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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Recent Examples of circumscribe
Historically, at the strictest cram schools, social interactions were carefully circumscribed.
—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
The Kremlin would like to circumscribe Iran’s aspiration for regional hegemony without souring relations with the country, which remains its biggest regional ally.
—Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 6 Oct. 2017
This is Mascaro’s most humane film to date, which isn’t to say that August Winds and Neon Bull weren’t also grounded in the individual’s struggle for self-fulfillment outside the strictures of bourgeois circumscribed society.
—Jay D. Weissberg, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2025
Two regulatory limits circumscribed Van Pay and Baumert’s calculations: No shelf can spread more than 350 nautical miles from shore, or more than 100 nautical miles beyond 2,500 meters of depth.
—Jack Truesdale, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circumscribe
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
The Kremlin would like to circumscribe Iran’s aspiration for regional hegemony without souring relations with the country, which remains its biggest regional ally.
—Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 6 Oct. 2017
This is Mascaro’s most humane film to date, which isn’t to say that August Winds and Neon Bull weren’t also grounded in the individual’s struggle for self-fulfillment outside the strictures of bourgeois circumscribed society.
—Jay D. Weissberg, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2025
Two regulatory limits circumscribed Van Pay and Baumert’s calculations: No shelf can spread more than 350 nautical miles from shore, or more than 100 nautical miles beyond 2,500 meters of depth.
—Jack Truesdale, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circumscribe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumscribe
Verb
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This is a time to support mask mandates in health care facilities and beyond, not limit the places people are legally allowed to mask.—
Nikki Morse,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Mar. 2025
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The First Amendment has been plenty misunderstood over the years about limiting speech.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The line defines short cruises as ranging from four to six nights and mid-length sailings as seven to nine nights, while longer cruises are 10 or more nights.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
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The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning many vessels could be targeted, some of which have had little or no connection to Israel.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Japan is part of the First Island Chain, a U.S. maritime containment strategy that seeks to restrict the Chinese military's access to the Western Pacific Ocean.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
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The Big Story Trump directs repeal of Biden showerhead rule President Trump has ordered his administration to repeal a Biden-era rule restricting water flow from shower heads.—
Rachel Frazin,
The Hill,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Musician and educator Harry Urata, confined to an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, encountered Japanese-American workers who had processed sugar cane leaves on Hawaiian plantations since the late 19th and early 20th centuries.—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
9 Apr. 2025
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The office’s website lists limited in-person services, directing users to a general email address and noting that public outreach is confined to virtual tours since the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circumscribe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumscribe. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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