What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
surround
Example
The house was surrounded by a beautiful garden. [surrounded: past tense]
Example
The soldiers surrounded the enemy camp to prevent any escape. [surround: verb]
circumscribe
Example
The teacher circumscribed the area of the classroom where students were allowed to work. [circumscribed: past tense]
Example
The rules of the game circumscribe the actions that players can take. [circumscribe: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Surround is more commonly used than circumscribe in everyday language. Surround is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while circumscribe is less common and more formal.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between surround and circumscribe?
Circumscribe is more formal than surround and is typically used in academic or technical writing. Surround is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
