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surroundings

/səˈraʊndɪŋz/

/səˈraʊndɪŋz/

IPA guide

Your surroundings are the things all around you. When you park your car in a huge lot, paying attention to your surroundings can help you find the car again later.

You can use the noun surroundings to mean the nearby environment — all of the objects close by, as well as the location itself — and also the circumstances or conditions where you are. When someone builds a house, the surroundings will help determine which direction it will face and how many windows it will have. Surroundings stems from surround, "be all around," but originally "flood or overflow."

Definitions of surroundings
  1. noun
    the area in which something exists or lives
    synonyms: environment, environs, surround
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    types:
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    ambiance, ambience
    the atmosphere of an environment
    medium
    the surrounding environment
    scene, setting
    the context and environment in which something is set
    element
    the most favorable environment for a plant or animal
    habitat, home ground
    the type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives or occurs
    melting pot
    an environment in which many ideas and races are socially assimilated
    parts
    the local environment
    scenario
    a setting for a work of art or literature
    habitation
    the native habitat or home of an animal or plant
    type of:
    geographic area, geographic region, geographical area, geographical region
    a demarcated area of the Earth
  2. noun
    the environmental condition
    synonyms: milieu
    see moresee less
    type of:
    environment
    the totality of surrounding conditions
Pronunciation
US

/səˈraʊndɪŋz/

UK

/səˈraʊndɪŋz/

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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘surroundings'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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