Word
encircling
Phoneticsen·cir·cling
US/ɛnˈsɝkəɫɪŋ/
UK/ɛnsˈɜːklɪŋ/
Definition
v. to go all the way around something, like a circle, to surround it. You use this when you want to describe someone or something going around an object or a person.
v. to move or extend all the way around something, forming a circle or ring. Transitive — requires a direct object to indicate what is being surrounded.
Examples
“The runners are encircling the track for the final lap.”
“The police officers began encircling the building to prevent the suspect from escaping through the back door.”
“As the storm intensified, the dark clouds began encircling the mountain peak, casting a long shadow over the valley below.”
Examples
simple
“The runners are encircling the track for the final lap.”
contextual
“The police officers began encircling the building to prevent the suspect from escaping through the back door.”
complex
“As the storm intensified, the dark clouds began encircling the mountain peak, casting a long shadow over the valley below.”
Real-World Examples
“Philip Pullman … ‘Almost the last beacons shining to remind us about personal discovery.’ Photograph: Tom Nicholson/PinPep/PA “In the current encircling corporate darkness, independent booksellers are lighthouses,” Philip Pullman said.” - Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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