1
as in surrounded
to form a circle around
everyone circled the lectern and waited their turn to read from the Bible
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2
as in orbited
to travel completely around
with a look of extreme frustration, the commander circled the new recruit
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of circled
As the demonstrators circled the sidewalk outside the World Trade Center with Noem inside, Manolo De Los Santos, a founder of The People's Forum and a regular protest organizer, told the crowd that demonstrators weren’t allowed inside.
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Asra Q. Nomani , Nikolas Lanum , Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
As one officer grabs at her door handle, a third officer who had circled to the front of the SUV from the opposite side draws his gun.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 8 Jan. 2026
The agent who had circled around the passenger side can be seen on the driver's side, returning his gun to his holster.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
In November 2022, Artemis’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket – the most powerful rocket Nasa has built – and its Orion capsule were launched on a 25-day crewless test flight, Artemis I, that circled the Moon only 80 miles from its surface.
—The Week, TheWeek, 7 Jan. 2026
Other officials have circled the wagons.
—Michael Albertus, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
For those on the political left who typically are far more supportive of social-net spending, Minnesota is a political nightmare and some have circled the wagons in defense.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
The entire layout circled the exhibit room to which spectators were admitted, a certain number at a time, or alternatively, could sit in chairs in the center of the room and swivel their heads.
—Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Dec. 2025
On Friday, Jay Staph of Just Baseball circled Toronto as a potential landing spot for Zac Gallen, the former All-Star and third-place Cy Young finisher who is coming off his worst season as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circled
Verb
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Michael was called home to be with the Lord on Sunday, January 4th, surrounded by his entire family in Los Angeles, California.—
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Centered around an azure alpine lake and surrounded by a network of more than 460 trails, Wanaka is a haven for kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, and skiing.—
Verb
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At that time, a few hundred operational satellites orbited the planet, and no collision occurred.—
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The conclusion comes from a fresh look at data from NASA’s Cassini mission, which orbited Saturn for nearly 20 years.—
Verb
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By Thursday morning, the fire crew successfully encircled the entire perimeter of the fire in control lines.—
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Others, particularly in North Carolina, remained year-round lakes encircled by sandy rims.—
Verb
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The sets built by Fisk traversed New York City and required the funding of a midbudget studio film (this is reportedly the most expensive production in A24’s history).—
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This family had traversed the jungle of the notorious Darien Gap with newborn Ashley, fleeing Ecuador to follow their dream of a safer life in America.—
Verb
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The cross, made of guayacán wood and ringed with precious metals, stands about eight feet tall and is believed to have been discovered, as if by a miracle, in a nearby cave in 1868.—
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The arena was ringed with extra security and law enforcement to prevent mischief.—
Verb
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The Today with Jenna & Sheinelle host crossed paths with her late husband in the late '90s during a chance encounter at Northwestern University.—
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Police are still working to determine how Asendorf's path crossed with McCray's.—
Verb
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The answer was white creme de cacao, just at a scant quarter ounce, that brought the depth that united the herbal liqueurs and rounded their sharp edges.—
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The Heat’s opening unit was rounded out by Powell, Wiggins and Mitchell.—
Cite this Entry
“Circled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circled. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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