Meaning & use
circling
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“circling” is a form of “circle”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitive
Moving around something in a circle, or forming a circle around something.
Grammar: No object; often followed by around or over: The plane was circling over the city.
Patterns
- circling around something
- circling over something
- circling above someone/something
The eagle was circling high above the valley.
A police helicopter kept circling around the neighborhood.
The children were circling the playground on their bikes.
verbtransitive
Drawing a circle around a word, number, or picture.
Grammar: Takes an object: She was circling the correct answers.
Patterns
- circling something
- circling the answer
- circling a word
He was circling the mistakes in red ink.
The teacher walked around, circling the best sentences.
Stop circling the numbers; write them clearly instead.
noununcountable
The act of moving in a circle or forming a circle.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun: The circling of the birds lasted for hours.
Patterns
- the circling of something
- constant circling
The circling of the hawks above the field was beautiful to watch.
After hours of circling, the plane finally landed.
The circling of the dancers created a colorful pattern.
Word forms
| base form | circle |
|---|---|
| third person singular | circles |
| past tense | circled |
| past participle | circled |
| present participle | circling |
Common combinations
- circling around
- The dog was circling around the tree.
- circling overhead
- Seagulls were circling overhead, looking for food.
- circling the answer
- She was circling the answer on the test paper.
- keep circling
- The plane had to keep circling until the fog cleared.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rotating
- Rotating means turning around a center, like a wheel; circling means moving around something else.
- orbiting
- Orbiting is used for objects in space moving around a planet or star; circling is more general and can be used for any circular movement.
- encircling
- Encircling means forming a circle around something; circling can also mean moving around without necessarily surrounding.
Word family
- circle noun
- A round shape or a group of people with a shared interest.
- circular adjective
- Shaped like a circle; also describes a letter or advertisement sent to many people.
- circulation noun
- The movement of blood around the body, or the number of copies of a publication sold.
Commonly confused: circling or cycling?
circling vs cycling
Cycling means riding a bicycle or moving in a repeated series; circling means moving in a circle.
Practice
The helicopter was ___ the building for several minutes before landing.
Choose one answer.
The past continuous tense needs the -ing form: was circling. 'Circle' is the base form, 'circled' is past simple, and 'circles' is third person singular present, none of which fit after 'was'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “circling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.