Around Definition & Meaning

American

British

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Usage

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms around American [uh-round] / əˈraʊnd /

adverb

1. in a circle, ring, or the like; so as to surround a person, group, thing, etc..

   The crowd gathered around.

2. on all sides; about.

   His land is fenced all around.

3. in all directions from a center or point of reference.

   He owns the land for miles around.

4. in a region or area neighboring a place.

   all the country around.

5. in circumference.

   The tree was 40 inches around.

6. in a circular or rounded course.

   to fly around and around.

7. through a sequence or series, as of places or persons.

   to show someone around.

8. through a recurring period, as of time, especially to the present or a particular time.

   when spring rolls around again.

9. by a circuitous or roundabout course.

   The driveway to the house goes around past the stables.

10. to a place or point, as by a circuit or circuitous course.

    to get around into the navigable channel.

11. with a rotating course or movement.

    The wheels turned around.

12. in or to another or opposite direction, course, opinion, etc..

    Sit still and don't turn around.

    After our arguments, she finally came around.

13. back into consciousness.

    The smelling salts brought her around.

14. in circulation, action, etc..

    He hasn't been around lately.

    The play has been around for years.

    When will she be up and around?

15. somewhere near or about; nearby.

    I'll be around if you need me.

16. to a specific place.

    He came around to see me.

preposition

1. about; on all sides; encircling; encompassing.

   a halo around his head.

2. so as to encircle, surround, or envelop.

   to tie paper around a package.

3. on the edge, border, or outer part of.

   a skirt with fringe around the bottom.

4. from place to place in; about.

   to get around town.

5. in all or various directions from.

   to look around one.

6. in the vicinity of.

   the country around Boston.

7. approximately; about.

   It's around five o'clock.

8. here and there in.

   There are many cafés around the city.

9. somewhere in or near.

   to stay around the house.

10. to all or various parts of.

    to wander around the country.

11. so as to make a circuit about or partial circuit to the other side of.

    to go around the lake;

    to sail around the cape.

12. reached by making a turn or partial circuit about.

    the church around the corner.

13. so as to revolve or rotate about a center or axis.

    the earth's motion around its axis.

14. personally close to.

    Only the few advisers around the party leader understood his real motives.

15. so as to get by a difficulty.

    They got around the lack of chairs by sitting on the floor.

16. so as to have a foundation in.

    The novel is built around a little-known historical event.

idioms

1. been around, having had much worldly experience.

   He's been around and isn't likely to be taken in.

around British / əˈraʊnd /

preposition

1. situated at various points in

   a lot of shelves around the house

2. from place to place in

   driving around Ireland

3. somewhere in or near

   to stay around the house

4. approximately in

   it happened around 1957, I think

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

1. surrounding, encircling, or enclosing

   a band around her head

2. in all directions from a point of reference

   he owns the land for ten miles around

3. in the vicinity, esp restlessly but idly

   to wait around

   stand around

4. here and there; in no particular place or direction

   dotted around

5. informal (of people) active and prominent in a particular area or profession

   some pop stars are around for only a few years

6. informal present in some place (the exact location being inexact)

   he's around here somewhere

7. informal in circulation; available

   that type of phone has been around for some years now

8. informal to many places, so as to have gained considerable experience, often of a worldly or social nature

   he gets around

   I've been around

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 around More Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing around

• beat about (around) the bush
• been around
• boss someone around
• bring around
• cast about (around)
• come around
• enough to go around
• every time one turns around
• fool around
• fuck around
• full circle (what goes around comes around)
• get around
• get around to
• go around in circles
• hang around
• horse around
• kick around
• kid around
• knock about (around)
• know one's way around
• mess around
• nose about (around)
• pal around with
• play around
• poke around
• push around
• rally around
• roll around
• round
• run around in circles
• run around like a chicken
• run around with
• run rings around
• screw around
• scrounge around
• shop around
• sleep around
• stick around
• talk around
• tear around
• throw one's weight around
• turn around
• twist around one's finger
• up and about (around)

Usage

In American English, around is usually used instead of round in adverbial and prepositional senses, except in a few fixed phrases such as all year round. The use of around in adverbial senses is less common in British English

Etymology

Origin of around

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English around(e); a- 1, round 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Since then my predecessor, other politicians and the Council of Ministers, officers all around government and beyond have been working on preparing a budget to keep public services going," he said.

From BBC

She further claimed that Low's death would have occurred around eight to 16 hours before being discovered.

From BBC

For Mr. Studwell’s best horror story, he turns to Nigeria’s Ajaokuta steel plant, which cost billions of dollars but never got around to producing any steel.

From The Wall Street Journal

The 41-year-old hydraulic technician has spent hours riding her purple bicycle around this city in recent weeks, looking for hints of where Nancy Guthrie may have gone.

From The Wall Street Journal

India is counting on its tech talent—and the construction of local data centers by global companies—to help it build a more sophisticated outsourcing business focused around AI.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• about
• almost
• approximately
• nearby

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.