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encircled

encircled

3.9
Surrounded on all sides by other things, often with no easy way out
  • adjective
  • /ɪnˈsɜr.kəld/
translation icon : rodeado
  • During the game, the players encircled the goal to defend against any attacks.

Examples

  • Why does Germany become encircled diplomatically and ultimately in war?

  • The garden was beautifully encircled by a white picket fence.

  • The Third Polish Army was now encircled and the Poles on the run.

  • Rather than wait to be encircled, he attacked and won a brilliant victory over Austrian and Russian forces at the Battle of Zurich.

  • Sign an Armistice paper or risk having its entire Expeditionary core encircled and cut off.

  • Decimated by disease and starvation and encircled by their enemies.

  • It seems that's the Hunnic left was encircled and destroyed.

  • With Fiddin's fall, Bulgaria's heartland was virtually encircled by Roman bases.

  • The soldiers were encircled by enemy troops and had no way to escape.

Synonyms

closed-in
vsencircled
14 4.1

A space surrounded on all sides and not open to the outside

is the general case of being closed all around rather than specifically blocked
boxed-in
vsencircled
7 6.3

Feeling trapped by walls or rules that stop you moving

is the physical idea of being confined, not the emotional sense
boxed in
vsencircled
3 6.3

Unable to do things freely because of limits like walls or rules

is like being confined but without the implied trap or small space feeling
enclosed
vsencircled
1 3.5

Something that is inside and surrounded by other things, like a garden or document

is about being wrapped all around rather than just within limits
surrounded
vsencircled
2.7

A person or place with people and things all around

is the same idea but stresses being fully closed by a boundary
ringed
vsencircled
2.5

Round with a hole in the middle

is about being closed all around rather than only having a ring shape
rimmed
vsencircled
4.1

A thing with a narrow edge around it made of a different material

describes full enclosure, not just an edge or decorative border

Antonyms

1 3.4

Not protected from danger or bad weather

How Surrounded

sealed
2.5
enclosed
1 3.5
encircled
3.9
bordered
2.5
open
1.0

Surface Forms

encircled positive

Morphology

encircled = encircle (transparent) = en + circle + ed

Formed from 'encircle' + '-ed', where 'encircle' is a regular en- + circle verb meaning 'surround'.

Etymology

The word encircled comes from the prefix en- meaning 'in' and the word circle, which is a round line. So to be encircled is to be 'in a circle' or 'surrounded on all sides'.