What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
surround
Example
The castle was surrounded by a high wall. [surrounded: past tense]
Example
The sound of laughter surrounded her as she entered the room. [surrounding: present participle]
encompass
Example
The new policy will encompass all aspects of the company's operations. [encompass: verb]
Example
The concept of sustainability encompasses environmental, social, and economic factors. [encompasses: third person singular]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Surround is more commonly used in everyday language than encompass. Surround is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while encompass is more formal and less commonly used.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between surround and encompass?
Encompass is generally considered more formal than surround. While surround can be used in both formal and informal contexts, encompass is typically reserved for more formal situations or writing.
