circumscription

noun

cir·​cum·​scrip·​tion ˌsər-kəm-ˈskrip-shən How to pronounce circumscription (audio)
Synonyms of circumscriptionnext
1
: the act of circumscribing : the state of being circumscribed: such as
a
: definition, delimitation
the circumscription of her duties
2
: something that circumscribes: such as
b
: restriction
a circumscription of his power to act
3
: a circumscribed area or district

Examples of circumscription in a Sentence

such circumscriptions on the freedom of speech are antithetical to a free and open society electronic monitoring bracelets are sometimes used to impose a circumscription of movement on people awaiting trial
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Thanks to its constitutional provenance, presidential pardon power faces little legal circumscription and minimal disclosure requirements for clemency advocacy efforts. Willem Marx, Vanity Fair, 18 Feb. 2026 Their circumscription, however, does not make Assad’s current priorities less dangerous. Lina Khatib, Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2020 Longtime readers of the site, though, have noted that the site no longer functions this way, in part because the Internet isn’t currently a space conducive to blinders and circumscription. Ross Scarano, Billboard, 6 May 2019

Word History

Etymology

Latin circumscription-, circumscriptio, from circumscribere

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of circumscription was in 1531

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Cite this Entry

“Circumscription.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circumscription. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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