environ
verb
en·vi·ron in-ˈvī-rən 
-ˈvī(-ə)rn
-ˈvī(-ə)rn environed; environing; environs
transitive verb
: encircle, surround
Synonyms
- circle
- compass
- embrace
- encircle
- enclose
- inclose
- encompass
- gird
- girdle
- ring
- surround
- wreathe
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a decaying, impoverished city environed by affluent suburbs
Recent Examples on the Web Even though Hollywood makes L.A. and environs a celebrity magnet, not all the big real estate action plays out within the City of Angels. 
Neal J. Leitereg And Lauren Beale, latimes.com, 9 Sep. 2017
Neal J. Leitereg And Lauren Beale, latimes.com, 9 Sep. 2017 Word History
Etymology
Middle English envirounen, from Anglo-French enviruner, from envirun around, from en in (from Latin in) + virun circle, from virer to turn — more at veer entry 1
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
environing
verb
as in surrounding
to form a circle around a decaying, impoverished city environed by affluent suburbs Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- surrounding
- encircling
- encompassing
- circling
- enclosing
- embracing
- compassing
- ringing
- wreathing
- inclosing
- girdling
- circumscribing
- girding
- walling
- besetting
- besieging
- intrenching
- closing in
- entrenching
- swarming
- cordoning (off)
- fencing (in)
- hemming (in)
- investing
- contradictable
- contradicted
- contradictedness
- contradicter
- contradicters
- contradicting
- contradictio in adjecto
- contradiction
- contradiction in terms
- contradictiones in adjecto
- contradictions
- contradictious
- contradictive
- contradictively
- contradictivenesses
- contradictor
- contradictories
- contradictorily
- contradictoriness
- contradictorinesses
- contradictors
- contradictory
- contradicts
- contradistinct
- contradistinction