English · Word Candidate

surround

/səˈɹaʊnd/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: surrounds · surrounded

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To encircle something or simultaneously extend in all directions.

Verb

Examples

The hovel stood in the centre of what had once been a vegetable garden, but was now a patch of rank weeds. Surrounding this, almost like a zareba, was an irregular ring of gorse and brambles, an unclaimed vestige of the original common.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To enclose or confine something on all sides so as to prevent escape.

Verb

Examples

The lions surrounded the deer herd so they had no way to escape.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

Anything, such as a fence or border, that surrounds something.

NounRegister: UK

Examples

He drifted through the room, avoiding the furniture by instinct, closed the door that led to the passage, and only then flicked on his flashlight. It swept around the room, picking out a desk, a telephone, a wall of bookshelves, and a deep armchair, and finally settled on a handsome fireplace with a

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “surround” mean?

To encircle something or simultaneously extend in all directions.

Is “surround” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.