circumscribe

verb

cir·cum·scribe ˈsər-kəm-ˌskrīb How to pronounce circumscribe (audio)

circumscribed; circumscribing; circumscribes

transitive verb

: to constrict (see constrict sense 1) the range or activity of definitely and clearly

his role was carefully circumscribed

: to define or mark off carefully

a study of plant species in a circumscribed area

: to draw a line around

circumscribed the misspelled words

: to surround by or as if by a boundary

fields circumscribed by tall trees

: to construct or be constructed around (a geometrical figure) so as to touch as many points as possible

a circle circumscribing a square

Did you know?

Circumscribe has a lot of relatives in English. Its Latin predecessor circumscribere (which roughly translates as "to draw a circle around") derives from circum-, meaning "circle," and scribere, meaning "to write or draw." Among the many descendants of circum- are circuit, circumference, circumnavigate, circumspect, circumstance, and circumvent. Scribere gave us such words as scribe and scribble, as well as ascribe, describe, and transcribe, among others. Circumscribe was first recorded in the 15th century; it was originally spelled circumscrive, but by the end of the century the circumscribe spelling had also appeared.

Synonyms

cap
confine
hold down
limit
restrict

See all Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

The circle is circumscribed by a square. circumscribed his enthusiasm so as not to make the losing side feel worse

Recent Examples on the Web Since January of last year, 42 states have introduced bills or taken other action that would circumscribe teaching on these sensitive subjects, according to a database maintained by Education Week.

Chelsea Sheasley, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 June 2022 This record is unsurprising given the Supreme Court’s 1980 opinion in Industrial Union Dept. AFL-CIO v. American Petroleum Institute, which held that Congress originally intended to narrowly circumscribe the authority to issue ETSs.

Joel Zinberg, National Review, 14 Sep. 2021 All those very much circumscribe their ability to thrive.

Karin Wulf, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2021 Still, the careful effort to circumscribe the retaliatory operation risks leaving the impression that Biden opted for a political strike rather than a substantive punishment.

Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 26 Feb. 2021 This is the effect of her books, too, in which vast, inhuman forces circumscribe her characters’ most personal experiences.

Alice Gregory, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2020 SuperBalls became the darlings of physics professors, who took them to classes and circumscribed their bounces in equations and matrices at just the moment when cheap Zectron knockoffs were hitting gumball machines worldwide.

New York Times, 3 Apr. 2020 Contempt for Congress flourishes alongside an increasingly common belief among both Republicans and Democrats that the presidency is the main engine of government, rather than an office whose power was deliberately circumscribed by the Constitution.

Fergus M. Bordewich, Time, 21 Feb. 2020 The election results will also affect the make-up of the committees, tightly circumscribed by Beijing, which every five years choose the chief executive.

The Economist, 21 Nov. 2019 See More

单词	circumscribing
释义	circumscribe verb cir·cum·scribe ˈsər-kəm-ˌskrīb circumscribed; circumscribing; circumscribes transitive verb 1 a : to constrict (see constrict sense 1) the range or activity of definitely and clearly his role was carefully circumscribed b : to define or mark off carefully a study of plant species in a circumscribed area 2 a : to draw a line around circumscribed the misspelled words b : to surround by or as if by a boundary fields circumscribed by tall trees 3 : to construct or be constructed around (a geometrical figure) so as to touch as many points as possible a circle circumscribing a square Did you know? Circumscribe has a lot of relatives in English. Its Latin predecessor circumscribere (which roughly translates as "to draw a circle around") derives from circum-, meaning "circle," and scribere, meaning "to write or draw." Among the many descendants of circum- are circuit, circumference, circumnavigate, circumspect, circumstance, and circumvent. Scribere gave us such words as scribe and scribble, as well as ascribe, describe, and transcribe, among others. Circumscribe was first recorded in the 15th century; it was originally spelled circumscrive, but by the end of the century the circumscribe spelling had also appeared. Synonyms cap confine hold down limit restrict See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences The circle is circumscribed by a square. circumscribed his enthusiasm so as not to make the losing side feel worse Recent Examples on the Web Since January of last year, 42 states have introduced bills or taken other action that would circumscribe teaching on these sensitive subjects, according to a database maintained by Education Week. Chelsea Sheasley, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 June 2022 This record is unsurprising given the Supreme Court’s 1980 opinion in Industrial Union Dept. AFL-CIO v. American Petroleum Institute, which held that Congress originally intended to narrowly circumscribe the authority to issue ETSs. Joel Zinberg, National Review, 14 Sep. 2021 All those very much circumscribe their ability to thrive. Karin Wulf, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2021 Still, the careful effort to circumscribe the retaliatory operation risks leaving the impression that Biden opted for a political strike rather than a substantive punishment. Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 26 Feb. 2021 This is the effect of her books, too, in which vast, inhuman forces circumscribe her characters’ most personal experiences. Alice Gregory, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2020 SuperBalls became the darlings of physics professors, who took them to classes and circumscribed their bounces in equations and matrices at just the moment when cheap Zectron knockoffs were hitting gumball machines worldwide. New York Times, 3 Apr. 2020 Contempt for Congress flourishes alongside an increasingly common belief among both Republicans and Democrats that the presidency is the main engine of government, rather than an office whose power was deliberately circumscribed by the Constitution. Fergus M. Bordewich, Time, 21 Feb. 2020 The election results will also affect the make-up of the committees, tightly circumscribed by Beijing, which every five years choose the chief executive. The Economist, 21 Nov. 2019 See More Word History Etymology Middle English circumscriven, from Latin circumscribere, from circum- + scribere to write, draw — more at scribe First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a circumscribing verb present participle of circumscribe 1 as in limiting to set bounds or an upper limit for circumscribed his enthusiasm so as not to make the losing side feel worse Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance limiting restricting confining tightening capping obstructing narrowing impeding blocking hindering modifying suppressing holding down hampering contracting constricting lessening barring squeezing repressing pinching numbering quelling qualifying Antonyms & Near Antonyms expanding exceeding broadening widening overreaching overextending 2 as in defining to mark the limits of Lake Michigan circumscribes the city of Chicago on the east Synonyms & Similar Words defining delimiting limiting demarcating bounding describing demarking governing terminating controlling marking (off) delineating determining
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circumscribe

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

verb