surrounded

[ suh-roun-did ]

adjective

1. (of troops, a fort or town, etc.) encircled or hemmed in by enemies on all sides so as to cut off communication or retreat:

   Only a few of the surrounded infantrymen survived, escaping in the darkness of the early morning.

2. enclosed or shut in on all sides, as by a barrier or border, desert or mountains, etc. (usually used in combination):

   The huge master bedroom features a granite-surrounded whirlpool tub.

   The surrounded parcel of land is provided with road access by a right-of-way through one of the encircling properties.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of surround.

Other Words From

• un·sur·round·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of surrounded¹

First recorded in 1590–1600, for an earlier sense; surround ( def ) + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective senses; surround ( def ) + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Right to the end, he was surrounded by news.

From BBC

In April 2023, the council had unanimously approved a developer’s request to apply for state funding for a project that would revamp a Quality Inn on a quiet tree-lined street surrounded by medical offices.

From Los Angeles Times

He attended elementary school at St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral on Mott Street, where he was surrounded by the iconography of the Catholic Church.

From Los Angeles Times

The most nocturnal were two male mountain lions living in small, isolated natural areas with many trails, high levels of recreation, and surrounded by intense development and freeways.

From Science Daily

He made sure he was surrounded by people who weren't going to question him.

From BBC

Related Words

• ringed