surround
gb/sɚˈaʊnd/ us/sɚˈaʊnd/
A2
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
state
1
To be on all sides of
To be all around someone or something.
Usage pattern:
to surround [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'surround' with 'cover'; 'surround' means to be on all sides, not just on top.
Synonyms
enclose (Implies being fully closed in, often physically.)
|
encircle (Often used for a circular or ring-like surrounding.)
Antonyms
expose (Leaves something open and unprotected instead of enclosing it.)
Collocations
surround area
|surround a building
|trees surround
|police surround
|surround completely
Themes
daily life
|environment
|military
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Tall mountains surround the small village.
- A group of reporters surrounded the actor as he left the theater.
- Soldiers surrounded the enemy camp during the night.
- The garden is surrounded by a white picket fence.
Learner examples
- Trees surround the house.
- Police surround the bank.
- Mountains surround the city.
- A fence surrounds the yard.
Noun
B1
entity
2
Bordering area or frame
A thing or area that goes around something else.
Synonyms
frame (A structure that encloses, especially for support or decoration.)
Antonyms
center (The middle part of something, opposite to its border.)
Collocations
fireplace surround
|stone surround
|wooden surround
Themes
home
|design
|core_vocabulary
|arts_entertainment
|housing
Examples
- The marble fireplace surround gave the room a classic look.
- We replaced the old wooden surround with a modern metal one.
- The door surround was painted white to match the windows.
Learner examples
- The fireplace has a stone surround.
- They built a wooden surround for the mirror.
- We painted the door surround blue.
Verb
B1
action
3
To encircle to prevent escape
To go all around someone or something so they cannot get away.
Usage pattern:
to surround [someone/something] to prevent escape
Synonyms
besiege (Often used in military contexts for prolonged surrounding of a place.)
Antonyms
release (Letting go or allowing freedom instead of enclosing.)
Collocations
surround and capture
|surround the suspect
|troops surround
Themes
military
|law enforcement
|law
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Police surrounded the building before entering.
- Protesters surrounded the car, blocking its path.
- The army surrounded the city within hours.
Learner examples
- Police surround the house to catch the thief.
- Soldiers surround the fort.
- Fans surround the singer at the airport.
Grammar
Dictionary form
surround
IPA
GB/sɚˈaʊnd/
US/sɚˈaʊnd/
Syllables & stress
sur - round (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (sur)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: surround
- 3rd Person Singular: surrounds
- Present Participle: surrounding
- Past: surrounded
Word family
Forms
surrounds
verb
surrounding
verb
surrounded
verb
Core family
surroundings
noun B1
Expressions
be surrounded by
1/bˈi sɚˈaʊndɪd bˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
To have all sides enclosed by something
To have people or things all around you.
Examples
- She was surrounded by friends at her birthday party.
- The cabin is surrounded by tall pine trees.
surround yourself with
1/sɚˈaʊnd jʊɹsˈɛlf wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
To keep certain company or environment close
To choose people or things to be near you often.
Examples
- Surround yourself with positive people who inspire you.
- He surrounds himself with books and art.