surrounding
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.describes things that are near or all around a specific place.
adj.positioned on all sides of a central point; used attributively before a noun.
Simple“The hotel offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.”
In context“The surrounding countryside remained largely untouched by the industrial developments that had transformed the nearby city center.”
UsageThis adjective almost always appears before the noun it describes.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the place and conditions that you are in.
n.the environment or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.
Simple“It took a few days for the cat to get used to its new surroundings.”
In context“The architect designed the building to blend seamlessly into its natural surroundings, using local stone and timber.”
UsageUsually plural ('surroundings') when referring to a general environment.
PitfallHe quickly adapted to his new surrounding. He quickly adapted to his new surroundings.When referring to an environment or area, the noun is almost always used in the plural form 'surroundings'.
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.the action of being or moving all the way around something.
v.the present participle of 'surround', indicating the state of encircling or encompassing a subject.
Simple“The police are surrounding the building to make sure no one leaves.”
In context“By surrounding the enemy forces, the army managed to secure a surrender without further conflict.”
UsageUsed as a continuous verb form or a gerund.
Synonyms
Usage surrounding area · surrounding areas · surrounding air
“He added that more than 50 drones had been shot down overnight in the region surrounding St Petersburg.”
“President Trump’s Air Force One subterfuge pales in comparison to the secrecy surrounding Russia’s president, whose fixation on security has reached new heights in recent years.”