Meaning & use
circle
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Meanings
nouncountablemathematics
A round flat shape in which every point on the edge is the same distance from the middle.
Grammar: Countable: draw a circle, two circles.
Patterns
- in a circle
- a circle of something
The teacher drew a circle on the board.
The children sat in a circle on the grass.
A circle has no corners.
nouncountable
A group of people connected by a shared interest, job or friendship.
Grammar: Often with a possessive or adjective: her close circle of friends; political circles.
Patterns
- a circle of friends
- in someone's circles
She has a small circle of close friends.
He is well known in literary circles.
Their social circle widened after the move.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To move around something in a curved path, or to draw a ring around something.
Grammar: With an object: circle the answer; without: the plane circled above.
Patterns
- circle something
- circle around something
The eagle circled above the valley.
Please circle the correct answer.
Reporters circled the building waiting for news.
nouncountableBritish
A curved row of seats upstairs in a theater.
Grammar: Used with names like the dress circle or upper circle, mainly in British English.
Patterns
- in the dress circle
We booked seats in the dress circle.
The upper circle gives a good view of the stage.
He watched the play from the circle.
Word forms
| plural | circles |
|---|---|
| third person singular | circles |
| past tense | circled |
| past participle | circled |
| -ing form | circling |
Common combinations
- vicious circle
- Stress causes poor sleep, which causes more stress, a vicious circle.
- full circle
- After years abroad, she came full circle and moved home.
- inner circle
- Only the inner circle knew about the plan.
- circle of friends
- His circle of friends grew at college.
- circle the date
- Circle the date on your calendar.
- run in circles
- We ran in circles trying to solve the problem.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ring
- Ring suggests a thin band or outline, while circle can also mean the filled shape.
- group
- Group is a general word, whereas circle suggests people close by interest or friendship.
- orbit
- Orbit as a verb is used for travel around a planet or star, while circle is general.
- loop
- Loop suggests a curve that may not close completely or may join back to itself.
Word family
- circular adjective
- shaped like a circle
- circulate verb
- to move around in a system
- circuit noun
- a path that goes around
- semicircle noun
- half of a circle
- circlet noun
- a small ring worn on the head
Commonly confused: circle or sphere? circle or cycle?
circle vs sphere
A circle is flat, while a sphere is a solid round object like a ball.
circle vs cycle
A cycle is a repeating series of events, while a circle is a shape or a group.
Practice
Please ___ the correct answer on the worksheet.
Choose one answer.
Circle as a verb means draw a ring around, and it takes the answer as its direct object. Orbit is for planets and cycle is not used this way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “circle”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.