encircle

1 of 2

verb

en·​cir·​cle in-ˈsər-kəl 

en-

encircled; encircling; encircles

transitive verb

1

: to form a circle around : surround

2

: to pass completely around

encirclement

in-ˈsər-kəl-mənt 

en-

noun

encirclement

2 of 2

noun

en·​cir·​cle·​ment "mənt 

plural -s

: the act or action of encircling, surrounding, or encompassing

the encirclement of the globe by an airplane

the encirclement of a wound by scar tissue

specifically : the policy of one or more countries of gradually enveloping or isolating another country

ridden by the nightmare of encirclement

—Yale Review

Synonyms of encircle

Verb

• circle
• traverse
• orbit

Examples of encircle in a Sentence

Verb

A crowd of reporters encircled the mayor.

communication satellites encircling the earth

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Thursday saw one of the heaviest days of fighting yet, after the Houthis launched an all-out offensive seeking to encircle the city. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026

Captured by the Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer, or SMILE, the footage reveals the full ring of auroral activity encircling Earth's north pole in ultraviolet light, stretching across both the night and day sides of our planet. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Monumental-scale projections examining profound questions of bodies, landscape, and existence encircle a centerpiece of sculptural Jeju volcanic rocks. — Vivienne Chow, ARTnews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

With that official, the Astros encircled Espada in the visitors’ batting cage at Sutter Health Park. — Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 27 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English enserclen

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for encircle

• cercle
• circle
• preopercle
• semicircle
• tubercle

Kids Definition

encircle

verb

en·​cir·​cle in-ˈsər-kəl 

1

: to form a circle around : surround

2

: to go completely around

encirclement

-mənt 

noun