# surrounding

/sɝˈaʊndɪŋ/ (US) · /səɹˈaʊndɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/surrounding
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. located all around

adjective · CEFR B1

describes things that are near or all around a specific place.

For teachers: positioned on all sides of a central point; used attributively before a noun.

- The hotel offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
- The surrounding countryside remained largely untouched by the industrial developments that had transformed the nearby city center.

Usage: This adjective almost always appears before the noun it describes.

### 2. environment or area

noun · CEFR B2

the place and conditions that you are in.

For teachers: the environment or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.

- It took a few days for the cat to get used to its new surroundings.
- The architect designed the building to blend seamlessly into its natural surroundings, using local stone and timber.

Usage: Usually plural ('surroundings') when referring to a general environment.

### 3. the act of encircling

verb · CEFR B2

the action of being or moving all the way around something.

For teachers: the present participle of 'surround', indicating the state of encircling or encompassing a subject.

- The police are surrounding the building to make sure no one leaves.
- By surrounding the enemy forces, the army managed to secure a surrender without further conflict.

Usage: Used as a continuous verb form or a gerund.

## Examples

- Tall trees are surrounding the small house.
- The police are surrounding the building to prevent anyone from leaving through the back exits.
- A dense fog began surrounding the mountain peak, obscuring the hikers' view of the valley below and forcing them to halt their descent.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.