circumference

noun

sər-ˈkəm(p)-fərn(t)s How to pronounce circumference (audio)
Definition of circumferencenext
1
as in diameter
the distance around a round body the circumference of the earth at the equator

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in perimeter
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something a silly little affair that's of interest to no one beyond the circumference of this campus

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of circumference The ratio of a person’s waist to hip circumference, or their waist circumference to height are pretty good estimators of their abdominal fat deposits. — Literary Hub, 17 Aug. 2026 The Sierra Club, an environmental nonprofit, is planning to appeal the permits the city issued to remove five trees from the site, including a black olive with a trunk that’s nearly six feet in circumference. — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026 Researchers looked at waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 Malnutrition rates were determined by weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) and mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC). — Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for circumference
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumference
  1. diameter
  2. perimeter
  3. radius
  4. edge
  5. equator
  6. boundary
  7. rim
  8. border
Noun
  • The duration of totality is a function of the diameter of the moon's shadow.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Apple's design uses a large-diameter, low-speed fan that can move a high volume of air at very low rotational speed.
    — Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of diameter
Noun
  • Its sealed perimeter, only accessible via lines and screening, now makes one of the world’s wonders feel less like a wondrous part of the city than an attraction held behind glass.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Smith was able to stay relatively healthy last season, earning consistent playing time because of his pesky perimeter defense and steady offensive game in a backup point guard role.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of perimeter
Noun
  • Unlike typical neighborhood supermarkets that draw from a 2-to-3-mile radius, Wegmans stores regularly pull customers from an 8-to-10-mile area, Meisel said.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Within a 25-mile radius, there are three UNESCO World Heritage sites.
    — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of radius
Noun
  • To continue to compete at the cutting edge, OpenAI needs to keep raising cash.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The quick short corner surprised Greenville (6-16-5), and Barea hit the edge of the 18-yard box before lifting a cross to the far post.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of edge
Noun
  • Earth experiences two equinoxes each year — the first in March and the second in September — when the sun crosses the celestial equator, an imaginary line in the sky directly above Earth's equator.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • This is the moment when the sun crosses directly above Earth's equator, moving south into the celestial sphere.
    — Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of equator
Noun
  • Pakistan, which went with five specialized bowlers plus Ayub’s offspin, surprisingly went with the option of part-timer Saad Masood in the second over that allowed Sharma to break free by smacking three sixes and a boundary in the 24-run over.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Community meetings about new school boundaries will take place from mid-October through mid-November.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of boundary
Noun
  • The Liberty’s size and ability to protect the rim bothered the stellar first-year player.
    — Doug Feinberg, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Beth Lay is first, a gangly Plain Jane with drab hair, a gummy smile, and wire-rim glasses.
    — Joan Kron, Allure, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of rim
Noun
  • The remains, discovered at a Greek border area 60 years ago, were flown to the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, aboard a military aircraft that was escorted by Bulgarian air force fighter jets from the country's border with Greece.
    — COSTAS KANTOURIS, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • What starts as a brief encounter blossoms into a romance that transcends national borders.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of border

Browse Nearby Words

circumambulating
circumference
circumferences
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Cite this Entry

“Circumference.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumference. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on circumference

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about circumference

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