circling 1 of 2

adjective

as in swirling

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circling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of circle
1
as in surrounding
to form a circle around everyone circled the lectern and waited their turn to read from the Bible

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in orbiting
to travel completely around with a look of extreme frustration, the commander circled the new recruit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of circling
Verb
Attendees may make a habit of circling conflicts and calculating whether ten minutes of one set is worth the hike before another begins. — Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 The trio lived and worked in space for 245 days, circling Earth 3,920 times and traveling a total of nearly 104 million miles (167 million kilometers), according to NASA. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026 The spec script has the potential as a strong vehicle for an actress, and at least one is already circling. — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 Due to a combination of circling real estate developers and personal financial crises, the Pogues’ homes are under threat. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026 The film premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section to rave reviews and a lengthy standing ovation before buyers quickly started circling and A24 emerged with the worldwide rights. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026 Thanksgiving always has produced an interesting dynamic with five tall, energetic kids circling for a turkey leg. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 These are two companies that have been circling each other seemingly somewhat in competition. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 14 Aug. 2026 Related Stories The series follows Jimmy Frank (Franco), an eccentric ad agency CEO who projects confidence and humor while contending with risk and unresolved fallout from his past, including criminal and supernatural threats circling his company. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circling
  1. swirling
  2. surrounding
  3. orbiting
  4. spiral
  5. encircling
  6. traversing
  7. spiraling
  8. crossing
Adjective
  • After that feral beginning, the rest of the album is mostly contemplative, wistful, and understated, amid cascading guitars and various sounds that are at times acoustic or gently swirling.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The spacecraft is designed to survive temperatures approaching -290°F (-179°C), methane rainfall and swirling hydrocarbon dust.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of swirling
Verb
  • The market is attempting to judge how long high capital expenditures and elevated valuations surrounding AI can be sustained.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • So surrounding Antetokounmpo with shooting was the smart strategy, because the data suggests offenses play at well above-average levels when the two-time MVP is paired with elite shooting.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of surrounding
Verb
  • The lunar eclipse also may be visible to Hathaway and the nine other people living off the planet — seven astronauts at the International Space Station and three aboard China’s orbiting outpost.
    — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The lunar eclipse may also be visible to Hathaway and the nine other people living off the planet — seven astronauts at the International Space Station and three aboard China’s orbiting outpost.
    — Marcia Dunn, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of orbiting
Adjective
  • But your first goal is to make sure that one unexpected bill doesn't trigger a debt spiral — even $25 per pay period is a start.
    — Dan Avery, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Queen conchs live in spiral, sandy-colored shells with a bright pink or orange interior.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of spiral
Verb
  • Its signature Hémisphère features fine grooves encircling each plate like rings around a planet.
    — Angela Tafoya, Architectural Digest, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The zoning resolution for the Manhattanville extension explicitly forbids encircling any of the outdoor spaces with gates or fences.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of encircling
Verb
  • Now, agents are capable of performing sophisticated workflows and traversing multiple applications by leveraging a critical artifact of modern computing, the application programming interface (API).
    — George C. Lee II, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The pair left their vehicle to find assistance, traversing salt flats toward Badwater Road, a two-lane highway encircled by mountains.
    — Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of traversing
Adjective
  • Aside from a spiraling Wanda, there was also an onslaught of high-profile cameos, which almost felt like fandom wish fulfillment designed to keep us entertained when Wanda wasn’t around.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The basic idea is that when anxiety spikes, pulling out a few sensory-engaging items can stave off panic by interrupting spiraling thoughts.
    — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of spiraling
Verb
  • It's been 17 years since Byers surveyed glacial lakes in the Himalayas and ran into a television crew just after crossing an 18,000-foot pass.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • From Hermon Park, head south, crossing Via Marisol from the crosswalk.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of crossing

Browse Nearby Words

circlets
circling
circuit
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Cite this Entry

“Circling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circling. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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