as in limited
having distinct or certain limits
the powers of that state's governor are so sharply circumscribed that often his hands are tied by the state legislature
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in restricted
to set bounds or an upper limit for
circumscribed his enthusiasm so as not to make the losing side feel worse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in defined
to mark the limits of
Lake Michigan circumscribes the city of Chicago on the east
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of circumscribed
Jp Mangalindan, Time, 26 Nov. 2025
In reality, as for most visiting celebrities, her itinerary was narrowly circumscribed.
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
While Swift’s life is extraordinary, it’s also cloistered by wealth and celebrity; perhaps the range of feelings she’s allowed to experience has become circumscribed.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Barrett understood its more circumscribed project.
—Stefan Fatsis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025
There’s a circumscribed way to open the soju bottle, a correct way to pour and drink.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Washingtonians are already sensitive about their circumscribed rights.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 9 Aug. 2025
Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
Each of Cicellis’s young protagonists arrives at the grim realization that their life is circumscribed not by a god but by the pull of obligation to an undeserving parent or mentor.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Ed’s high-paying job allows (or relegates) Jess to be a stay-at-home mum, her life devoted to (and circumscribed by) her children.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 Dec. 2025
Like other forms of self expression, digital-communication technology has become dangerously circumscribed under Trump; only the tools that exist independent of Big Tech seem like safe bets for dissent.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2025
But recently, Ware said that attacks have been circumscribed to far fewer victims - even when there was the opportunity to kill more.
—NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Joan understands that their circumscribed lives now give their eternity its meaning.
—Verb
Only one major financial institution is currently investing in a presence downtown, defined as the area circumscribed by I-35, I-30, I-45 and Woodall Rogers Freeway.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumscribed
Adjective
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The new approach moves beyond linear models by using Gaussian process regression, a technique capable of mapping complex nonlinear relationships with limited data.—
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The limited number of videos that have emerged show hundreds of corpses strewn across the floors of hospitals and morgues.—
Verb
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Leaders in Minnesota are pushing for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to be brought back into the shooting investigation after the BCA said the FBI restricted its access to evidence.—
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Considering the size of the reservation, the decision has broadly restricted Oklahoma authorities’ ability to criminally prosecute Native Americans.—
Verb
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Hudson’s makeup artist, Tonya Brewer, blurred her pores using a mattifying powder, volumized her lashes with a few swipes of a smudge-free mascara, defined her pout with a long-lasting lip liner, and more.—
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The team overcoming those injuries defined the season.—
Adjective
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Simulating strength in real-time To ensure durability, MechStyle uses finite element analysis, a physics simulation that highlights weak regions in a 3D model under realistic forces.—
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Sadly, time is quite finite, which is where meal and grocery delivery services come in.—
Verb
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No longer confined to the gym, black leggings have quietly secured their place as a modern wardrobe essential for 2026.—
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In some cases, they were confined to their homes or beds for weeks or months while their devices were repaired.—
Verb
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Three players handled the ball after the inbounds, but DiCostanzo’s 3-point shot bounded long off the back of the rim with two seconds remaining.—
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The entertainment area — bounded by Southwest Second Street, the railroad tracks, the New River and Nugent Avenue — sits near the Riverwalk, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and the Museum of Discovery and Science.—
Adjective
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Postseason football is defined by grit and narrow margins.—
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Industry experts cautioned that a military confrontation could provoke Iran to choke off the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that that connects the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea and through which nearly a third of the world's seaborne crude flows.—
Cite this Entry
“Circumscribed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumscribed. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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