Around — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adverb preposition adjective /ə-ˈrau̇nd/

Meaning & Definition of Around

Around (adverb)

  1. in a circle or in circumference
  2. in, along, or through a circuit
  3. on all or various sides, in every or any direction

Around (preposition)

  1. on all sides of
  2. so as to encircle or enclose
  3. so as to avoid or get past, on or to another side of

Around (adjective)

  1. about
  2. being in existence, evidence, or circulation

Around (preposition) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. close to

    "I wouldn't stand around those rocks—there could be snakes under them"

    similar: about, by, near, next to, nigh, next door to
    related: alongside, beside, across, along, at, circa, toward

  2. in random positions within the boundaries of

    "huge, strangely shaped rocks were scattered around the canyon floor"

    similar: about, across, over, round, through, throughout
    related: on

Around (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. on all sides or in every direction

    "he looked around"

    "butterflies were flying all around"

    similar: about, round
    related: all over, everyplace, everywhere, abroad, afloat, hereabouts

  2. toward the opposite direction

    "she turned around and saw him"

    similar: about, back, backward, round
    related: behind, down, downward, rearward, obversely, reversely, across, athwart, counter, counterclockwise, widdershins
    near: clockwise, deasil

  3. at, within, or to a short distance or time

    "our dog usually stays around our yard"

    "he'll be getting in around 6:00"

    similar: by, close, hard, in, near, nearby, nigh, at close quarters, at hand, on one's doorstep, within call
    related: hereabouts, hereaway (dialect), thereabouts, along, alongside, accessibly, conveniently, handily

  4. from beginning to end

    "a team that plays all year around"

    similar: over, round, through, throughout

  5. close to but not exactly

    "there's around a hundred books still left to be packed in boxes"

    similar: about, approximately, like, more or less, much, near, plus or minus, roughly, say, some, after a fashion, somewhere about, somewhere around
    related: generally, kind of, loosely, nearly, nominally, practically, virtually, well-nigh
    opposite: exactly, precisely
    near: due, even, just, sharp, smack-dab, squarely

  6. in one place and another

    "while typewriters can still be seen around, they are no longer the common office fixtures they once were"

    similar: about, here and there, passim
    related: all over, everyplace, everywhere, far and wide, high and low, right and left, throughout, ubiquitously
    near: nowhere

Around (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having being at the present time

    "she's generally regarded as one of the most talented singers around"

    similar: alive, existent, existing, extant, living
    related: active, busy, flourishing, functioning, operating, working
    opposite: dead, extinct, nonextant
    near: defunct, destroyed, exterminated, kaput, departed, gone, lost, nonexistent, idle, inactive, inert

Related Entry: Around the bend (phrase)

Around the bend is a different word from Around. The synonyms below are for around the bend, not for around.

  1. having or showing a very abnormal or sick state of mind

    "The way he's acting you'd think he's gone around the bend."

    similar: bats, batty, bonkers (informal + sometimes offensive), brainsick, certifiable (dated, informal + disparaging), cracked (informal + disparaging), crackers (informal + disparaging), crazed (sometimes offensive), crazy (usually offensive), daft (chiefly British, informal), demented, deranged (often offensive), haywire, loco (slang), mad, maniacal, mental (sometimes offensive), non compos mentis, nuts (informal + sometimes offensive), nutty (sometimes offensive), psycho (informal + disparaging), psychotic (sometimes offensive), unbalanced, unhinged, unsound, wud (chiefly Scottish), off one's gourd, off one's head, out of one's mind, out to lunch (slang)
    related: dotty, fey, loopy, off, potty (chiefly British), teched, touched, aberrant, delirious, delusional, delusionary, disordered, disturbed, eccentric, odd, oddball, pixilated, queer, strange, foolish, senseless, witless, irrational, unreasonable, amok, ape, ballistic, bananas, berserk, nuclear, depressed, distracted, distraught, frantic, frenzied, hysterical, raving, wigged-out, fixated, monomaniac, monomaniacal, obsessed
    opposite: balanced, compos mentis, sane, sound, uncrazy
    near: clear, lucid, rational, reasonable, judicious, sensible, wise, healthy, normal, well-adjusted, unneurotic

Related Entry: Around the corner (phrase)

Around the corner is a different word from Around. The synonyms below are for around the corner, not for around.

  1. giving signs of immediate occurrence

    "Her birthday is right around the corner."

    similar: imminent, impending, looming, pending, threatening
    related: approaching, coming, forthcoming, future, near, nearing, oncoming, upcoming, brewing, gathering, likely, possible, probable, inevitable, unavoidable, apocalyptic, lowering, menacing, ominous, portentous, anticipated, awaited, expected, foreseen, predicted
    near: distant, far-off, remote, eventual, ultimate, bygone, former, past, late, recent

Related Entry: Around-the-clock (adjective)

Around-the-clock is a different word from Around. The synonyms below are for around-the-clock, not for around.

  1. as in round-the-clock, hourly

    similar: 24-7, hourly, round-the-clock, cyclic, chronic, confirmed, inveterate, continual, intermittent, recurrent, recurring, expected, usual, constant, frequent, habitual, periodic, periodical, regular, repeated, steady
    opposite: inconstant, infrequent, irregular, episodic, occasional, unexpected, unusual

Related Entry: All-around (adjective)

All-around is a different word from Around. The synonyms below are for all-around, not for around.

  1. not limited or specialized in application or purpose

    "an all-around garden rake that adjusts for any raking task, from raking lawns to delicate flower beds"

    similar: all-purpose, catholic, general, general-purpose, unlimited, unqualified, unrestricted, unspecialized
    related: mixed-use, multipurpose, broad, wide, nonspecific, unspecified, vague
    opposite: limited, restricted, specialized, technical
    near: bounded, circumscribed, confined, definite, demarcated, determinate, finite, qualified, dedicated, selective

  2. relating to the main elements and not to specific details

    "this saw has the top rating for all-around performance, but for small detail work it might not be your best choice"

    similar: bird's-eye, broad, general, nonspecific, overall
    related: comprehensive, inclusive, absolute, boundless, expansive, extensive, infinite, panoramic, sweeping, vast, wide, indeterminate, nebulous, nondescript, vague, unlimited, unrestricted, unspecified
    opposite: close-up, delineated, detailed, molecular, particularized, specific
    near: limited, restricted, specified, distinct, explicit, precise, sharp, comprehensive, elaborate, full, mapped (out), thorough, enumerated, inventoried, itemized, listed, individual, singular, particular, peculiar

  3. able to do many different kinds of things

    "an all-around player, as skilled on the pitcher's mound as he is at the batting plate"

    similar: adaptable, protean, universal, versatile
    related: general-purpose, mixed-use, multipurpose, well-rounded, able, ace, adept, experienced, expert, masterful, proficient, skilled, skillful, adjustable, alterable, changeable, elastic, flexible, fluid, malleable, modifiable, plastic, pliable, pliant, supple, variable
    near: limited, amateur, inexperienced

Related Entry: All around (adverb)

All around is a different word from Around. The synonyms below are for all around, not for around.

  1. with everyone or everything taken into account at the same time

    "all around, she's our best athlete"

    similar: all told, altogether, collectedly, collectively, inclusively, overall, together, across the board, all in all, in the aggregate, on the whole
    related: broadly, generally, liberally, loosely, macroscopically, all over, completely, comprehensively, encyclopedically, entirely, exhaustively, fully, sweepingly, thoroughly, totally, wholly
    near: detailedly, microscopically, minutely, literally, narrowly, restrictedly, strictly, alone, categorically, distinctly, exclusively, fractionally, individually, separately, singly, singularly, solely, solitarily, specifically

Related Entry: Bring around (verb)

Bring around is a different word from Around. The synonyms below are for bring around, not for around.

  1. to cause (someone) to agree with a belief or course of action by using arguments or earnest request

    "an airtight argument is the only thing that will ever bring him around"

    similar: argue, bring, convert, convince, gain, get, induce, move, persuade, prevail (on or upon), satisfy, talk (into), win (over)
    related: blandish, blarney, cajole, coax, entreat, exhort, fast-talk, urge, wheedle, allure, beguile, lead on, lure, seduce, snow, tempt, brainwash, overpersuade, incline, influence, prompt, sell, sway, attract, draw, entice, interest, chew over, converse, debate, discuss, dispute, hash (over), moot, reason (with)
    near: deter, discourage, dissuade, unsell

Related Entry: Cast around (for) (verb)

Cast around (for) is a different word from Around. The synonyms below are for cast around (for), not for around.

  1. to go in search of

    "cast around for a last minute replacement for the lead actor in the movie"

    similar: cast about (for), chase (down), forage (for), hunt, look up, pursue, quest, search (for or out), seek, shop (for), look for
    related: ferret (out), root (out)
    near: hide, lose, ignore, neglect

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Around

The most common words with a similar meaning to Around:

about, by, near, next to, nigh, across, over, round, through, throughout, next door to, back, backward, close, hard, in, nearby, approximately, like, more or less, much, plus or minus, roughly, say, some, here and there, passim, at close quarters, at hand, on one's doorstep, within call, after a fashion, somewhere about, somewhere around, alive, existent, existing, extant, living

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Around

Words with the opposite meaning of Around:

exactly, precisely, dead, extinct, nonextant

Related Words for Around

alongside, beside, along, at, circa, toward, on, all over, everyplace, everywhere, abroad, afloat, hereabouts, behind, down, downward, rearward, obversely, reversely, athwart, counter, counterclockwise, widdershins, hereaway, thereabouts, accessibly, conveniently, handily, generally, kind of

Near Antonyms of Around

clockwise, deasil, due, even, just, sharp, smack-dab, squarely, nowhere, defunct, destroyed, exterminated, kaput, departed, gone, lost, nonexistent, idle, inactive, inert

Origin & Etymology of Around

Middle English arounde, a round "along the margin, on all sides," from a- a-:1 + round, rounde round:3

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Around

Words & Phrases Containing Around

around the bend, around the block, around the clock, around-the-clock, around the corner, around about, all-around

Frequently Asked Questions about Around

What does "Around" mean?

"Around" means in a circle or in circumference. As an an adverb, a preposition and an adjective, it is defined as: in a circle or in circumference. It has 9 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Around"?

Other words for "Around" include about, by, near, next to, nigh, across, over and round. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Around" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Around"?

There are 85 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Around". Common alternatives include about, by, near, next to, nigh, across, over, round, through and throughout.

What is the opposite of "Around"?

Antonyms of "Around" include exactly, precisely, dead, extinct and nonextant. Near antonyms include clockwise, deasil, due and even.

How do you use "Around" in a sentence?

Examples of "Around" in a sentence: "I wouldn't stand around those rocks—there could be snakes under them"; "huge, strangely shaped rocks were scattered around the canyon floor"; "he looked around".

Is "Around" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Around" can be used as an adverb, a preposition and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Around" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Around" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Around"?

"Around" is pronounced /ə-ˈrau̇nd/.