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as in to define
to mark the limits of Lake Michigan circumscribes the city of Chicago on the east

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word circumscribe different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of circumscribe are confine, limit, and restrict. While all these words mean "to set bounds for," circumscribe stresses a restriction on all sides and by clearly defined boundaries.

the work of the investigating committee was carefully circumscribed

When can confine be used instead of circumscribe?

Although the words confine and circumscribe have much in common, confine suggests severe restraint and a resulting cramping, fettering, or hampering.

our choices were confined by finances

When is limit a more appropriate choice than circumscribe?

While in some cases nearly identical to circumscribe, limit implies setting a point or line (as in time, space, speed, or degree) beyond which something cannot or is not permitted to go.

visits are limited to 30 minutes

When might restrict be a better fit than circumscribe?

The words restrict and circumscribe can be used in similar contexts, but restrict suggests a narrowing or tightening or restraining within or as if within an encircling boundary.

laws intended to restrict the freedom of the press

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 circumscribe Historically, at the strictest cram schools, social interactions were carefully circumscribed. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 The Kremlin would like to circumscribe Iran’s aspiration for regional hegemony without souring relations with the country, which remains its biggest regional ally. Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 6 Oct. 2017 This is Mascaro’s most humane film to date, which isn’t to say that August Winds and Neon Bull weren’t also grounded in the individual’s struggle for self-fulfillment outside the strictures of bourgeois circumscribed society. Jay D. Weissberg, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2025 Two regulatory limits circumscribed Van Pay and Baumert’s calculations: No shelf can spread more than 350 nautical miles from shore, or more than 100 nautical miles beyond 2,500 meters of depth. Jack Truesdale, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for circumscribe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumscribe
Verb
  • This could include, but is not limited to, major vermin contamination.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • In the bottom of the seventh, Corona (19-2, 9-1), which was limited to one hit in the game, loaded the bases with one out against freshman pitcher Striker Pence, but then stranded the runners after consecutive pop flies.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This translates into Jan having to collaborate with many versions of himself that have unique skills and far too many conflicting personalities defined by past events.
    Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Strategic decisions made now, around technology investments, partnerships, and customer education, could determine whether a bank remains competitive in a world increasingly defined by digital currency frameworks. 5.
    Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Japan is part of the First Island Chain, a U.S. maritime containment strategy that seeks to restrict the Chinese military's access to the Western Pacific Ocean.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The Big Story Trump directs repeal of Biden showerhead rule President Trump has ordered his administration to repeal a Biden-era rule restricting water flow from shower heads.
    Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In the beginning, these robotaxis will be confined to certain neighborhoods and will only operate in optimal conditions.
    Joann Muller, Axios, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Still, much of this art remained confined to the streets, making its impact felt in fleeting but powerful moments.
    Rebecca Ruth Gould, JSTOR Daily, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Circumscribe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumscribe. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on circumscribe

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