round

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Having a shape like a circle or ball, with a smooth curved edge and no corners.

   Grammar: Can be used before a noun (a round table) or after a linking verb (The table is round). Comparative: rounder.

   Patterns

   • a round + noun
   • be round

   She sat at a round table with six other people.

   The moon looks round tonight.

   He drew a round face with two dots for eyes.

2. 2nouncountable

   One of a series of stages in a competition, discussion, or process.

   Grammar: Countable noun: a round, two rounds, the first round.

   Patterns

   • the first/second/final round
   • a round of talks
   • go through to the next round

   She won her first-round match easily.

   The two sides held another round of talks yesterday.

   The team was knocked out in the second round.

3. 3prepositionBritish

   On all sides of something; surrounding or circling it.

   Grammar: British English; American English usually uses 'around': We walked round the lake.

   Patterns

   • round the world
   • round the corner
   • walk round something

   They traveled round the world in a year.

   The shop is just round the corner.

   We sat round the fire and told stories.

4. 4adverbBritish

   In a circle or in a direction that turns and comes back.

   Grammar: Often used in phrasal verbs: turn round, come round, pass round.

   Patterns

   • turn round
   • come round
   • look round

   She turned round to see who was calling her.

   The wheels went round and round.

   He looked round the room for his glasses.

Word forms

Common combinations

round the corner

There's a good café just round the corner.

a round of applause

The audience gave her a round of applause.

round trip

We booked a round trip from Boston to Paris.

year-round

The pool is open year-round.

round the clock

Doctors worked round the clock to save the patients.

Synonyms and how they differ

circular

More formal and technical; it describes a flat circle, while 'round' can also describe a ball-like shape.

spherical

Use for a three-dimensional ball shape; 'round' is more general and everyday.

around

The usual American equivalent of the British preposition 'round': around the world.

Opposites

Word family

roundness noun

The quality of being round.

roundly adverb

Completely or strongly, as in 'roundly criticized'.

rounded adjective

Having a curved shape, often used for corners or edges.

Commonly confused: round or around?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “round”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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