1
2
as in loops
a circular strip
a decorative circle of silver on the rim of the commemorative plate for their 25th wedding anniversary
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in networks
a group of people sharing a common interest and relating together socially
got together with her social circle once a week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in cycles
a series of events or actions that repeat themselves regularly and in the same order
with the birth of a child coming so soon after the death of a grandparent, we were once again reminded of the circle of life
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in areas
a region of activity, knowledge, or influence
that lies outside the circle of our investigation
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in surrounds
to form a circle around
everyone circled the lectern and waited their turn to read from the Bible
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in orbits
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.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of circles
Kansas City Star,
3 July 2026
Along the way, planners often become favorites within certain circles.
—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
3 July 2026
Not only the incredible key-person risk of everything hinging on Musk himself, which has raised many eyebrows across corporate-governance circles.
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
3 July 2026
Activities include swimming, competitions, sports, but also therapeutic group dialogue circles.
—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
2 July 2026
Arepas and coffee anchor impromptu support circles, as grieving customers cling to fragile hope for the missing.
—
Melody Xu,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
That language can sound familiar in corporate marketing circles.
—
Jeff Fromm,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
His theories have won praise in UFO circles but often put him in conflict with academic peers.
—
CBS News,
1 July 2026
The Supreme Court did not ban geofence warrants altogether—so expect law enforcement to continue to draw circles on a map and demand data from tech companies.
—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
30 June 2026
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
25 June 2026
The book circles political concerns that remain relevant today, including empire, caste prejudice, and the dangers of despotism and corruption.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
One of Geneva Lake's main attractions is the public walking path, which circles the entire lake for over 20 miles.
—
Katy Spratte Joyce,
Travel + Leisure,
30 May 2026
The issue circles back to the gigantic investment needed to mine that rich lode when the top names in tech are digging as well.
—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
But even that comic tension threatens to rip as the painfully thin story repeatedly circles the same disputes without deepening them.
—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
26 May 2026
Most relied on the free shuttle that circles the valley floor.
—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
That process moves forward, then circles back, then moves again.
—
Felysha Walker
may 8,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2026
Enjoy a coffee break at The Lookout at Lake Poway before the group circles back.
—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Noun
As darkness settled over Washington Square Park, supporters formed circles, waved Ghanaian flags and continued singing Jama into the evening.
—
Kansas City Star,
3 July 2026
Along the way, planners often become favorites within certain circles.
—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
3 July 2026
Not only the incredible key-person risk of everything hinging on Musk himself, which has raised many eyebrows across corporate-governance circles.
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
3 July 2026
Activities include swimming, competitions, sports, but also therapeutic group dialogue circles.
—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
2 July 2026
Arepas and coffee anchor impromptu support circles, as grieving customers cling to fragile hope for the missing.
—
Melody Xu,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
That language can sound familiar in corporate marketing circles.
—
Jeff Fromm,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
His theories have won praise in UFO circles but often put him in conflict with academic peers.
—
CBS News,
1 July 2026
The Supreme Court did not ban geofence warrants altogether—so expect law enforcement to continue to draw circles on a map and demand data from tech companies.
—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
30 June 2026
Verb
Chapter 1 Randy Fields stalks through the newsroom, circles my desk and sits across from me.
—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
25 June 2026
The book circles political concerns that remain relevant today, including empire, caste prejudice, and the dangers of despotism and corruption.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
One of Geneva Lake's main attractions is the public walking path, which circles the entire lake for over 20 miles.
—
Katy Spratte Joyce,
Travel + Leisure,
30 May 2026
The issue circles back to the gigantic investment needed to mine that rich lode when the top names in tech are digging as well.
—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
But even that comic tension threatens to rip as the painfully thin story repeatedly circles the same disputes without deepening them.
—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
26 May 2026
Most relied on the free shuttle that circles the valley floor.
—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
That process moves forward, then circles back, then moves again.
—
Felysha Walker
may 8,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2026
Enjoy a coffee break at The Lookout at Lake Poway before the group circles back.
—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circles
Noun
-
Kirk is taking questions from an audience member about gun violence when a shot rings out.
-
For sides, White Castle has french fries, mozzarella sticks, onion rings and chicken rings.
Noun
-
Leaders should identify where bottlenecks crept back in, restore psychological safety around small failures, and rebuild the feedback loops that make frequent, low-risk deployment feel sustainable.
-
Rounding out the trio is a take on the Air Max 95 Neon with orange substitutions on its Big Bubble heel unit and eyestay loops and a green and orange gradient on the outsole’s shank.
Noun
-
Disney Channel Kids The tween audience of the early aughts had multiple networks catering to them, and Disney Channel’s musical ascent was just beginning.
-
Their assets, systems and networks are considered so essential that their disruption would have a debilitating impact on national security, public safety or the economy.
Noun
-
Democrats, who leaned heavily on small-dollar fundraising in recent election cycles, warned the decision would further expand the influence of megadonors and wealthy political networks in federal campaigns.
-
Our greatest strategic competitors are not thinking in quarterly earnings or election cycles.
Noun
-
Daniela DaSuta, founder of SommSpace in Austin, recommends looking for wines labeled Alto Adige, Collio, Collio Goriziano or Friuli Colli Orientali, all benchmark areas for the variety.
-
The city presented three scenarios for Hemphill, which would involve either no change to the current traffic flow, adding two lanes of traffic back in certain areas, or adding them back along the entire corridor.
Verb
-
Whether a black hole appears dark or dazzling depends largely on how much gas and dust surrounds it, not on the black hole itself.
-
Courts are not operating in the same zone of scientific uncertainty that surrounds many glyphosate, talc, or social media claims.
Verb
-
Should the luminiferous ether exist, then scientists reasoned that as the Earth orbits the sun at around 66,000 miles per hour (106,216 kilometers per hour), our planet should be moving through the ether, which had been deemed to be stationary.
-
Psyche is a nickel-iron core asteroid that orbits the sun beyond Mars anywhere from 235 million to 309 million miles away.
Noun
-
Following three rounds of play in the 2026 John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, IL, Lucas Glover leads (-16).
-
Six rounds of matches will lead to a finals series in London in late November which World Rugby says will identify the best team in the world.
Cite this Entry
“Circles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circles. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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