surrounded

American  

[suh-roun-did] / səˈraʊn dɪd /

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.

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• unsurrounded adjective

Etymology

Origin of surrounded

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

He then grew a fresh batch of plants genetically true to those that once surrounded the mere.

From BBC

At the lower Rangpo area, close to the Teesta River, only a mosque remains, surrounded by piles of sand, some reaching the height of its roof.

From The Wall Street Journal

In another she was surrounded by her aunties.

From Literature

He closed his eye and, surrounded by the silence of Deadwood, let his undead lungs assume a shallow rhythm.

From Literature

He appeared on-screen in a black robe with a white collar, seated at a desk surrounded by books.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ringed