around
around — preposition
1. forming a circle that has a person, thing, or place at its centre, or following
forming a circle that has a person, thing, or place at its centre, or following the outer edge of something
Rohan tied a red ribbon around the gift box and added a small bow.
around + noun for encircling
The children sat in a circle around the campfire and roasted marshmallows.
around + noun for surrounding position
Tomás jogged around the lake every morning before breakfast.
around + noun for circular path
There is a tall stone wall around the old castle garden.
static encircling structure
Otto wrapped a warm scarf around her neck before heading out.
- wrap around
- tie around
- walk around
- wall around
- round
British English equivalent for circular motion
- encircling
more formal; usually as participle, not preposition
Grammar Patterns
around + noun phrase (object/place)
Usage Note
Frequently follows verbs of motion (walk, run, jog, drive) when describing a circular path, and verbs of placement (tie, wrap, build) for static surrounding.
Common Mistakes
2. past the side of something so as to reach the other side, often used with corner
past the side of something so as to reach the other side, often used with corners, bends, or obstacles
The bakery is just around the corner from the train station.
fixed phrase: around the corner
Xander drove around the fallen tree blocking the narrow road.
around + obstacle for bypass
We followed the river around a sharp bend and saw a wooden bridge.
around + bend for path
The cat peeked around the doorway before stepping into the kitchen.
- around the corner
- around the bend
Grammar Patterns
around + corner / bend / obstacle
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is on getting to the other side of an obstacle, not forming a circle around it.
3. in many parts of a place, or moving between different spots within a place witho
in many parts of a place, or moving between different spots within a place without a fixed route
Tourists wandered around the old town square taking photos of the fountain.
movement around + place
Toys were scattered around the living room after the birthday party.
scattered around + place
Dr. Hiro showed the new students around the hospital on their first day.
show someone around a place
There are great cafes around this neighborhood, especially near the park.
- wander around
- scattered around
- show around
- throughout
more formal; emphasises every part
- across
wider area, often whole regions
Grammar Patterns
around + place noun
Usage Note
Subject often involves multiple locations or wandering motion; contrast with sense 1, where the path forms a clear circle.
4. close to where the speaker or a particular person is standing or living
close to where the speaker or a particular person is standing or living
Is there a good pharmacy around here? My daughter has a fever.
fixed phrase: around here
The Watanabes have lived around this village for nearly forty years.
around + this place for living near
I haven't seen Xander around school all week — is he sick?
Are there any cheap restaurants around your office?
- around here
- around this area
- far from
opposite distance
Grammar Patterns
around + here / there / [place]
Usage Note
Common in questions about nearby services; the place noun is often where the listener currently is.
5. found or available within a particular area, often when talking about things you
found or available within a particular area, often when talking about things you can buy, see, or notice there
Wild deer are still common around these mountain villages in autumn.
be common around + place
Cheap fresh fish is easy to find around the harbour market every morning.
available around + place
Strange rumours had been circulating around the office for weeks.
circulate around + place
Wild orchids grow naturally around the southern hillsides in spring.
- found around
- common around
- circulate around
- in
simpler when location is a single defined area
- throughout
stresses every part of the area
Grammar Patterns
[entity] + be + around + place
Usage Note
Subject is usually something that can be observed, bought, or encountered; often pairs with verbs like 'find', 'grow', 'exist', 'circulate'.
6. having a particular subject as the main idea, focus, or starting point — for exa
having a particular subject as the main idea, focus, or starting point — for example debates, plans, or stories built on that subject
The whole movie is built around the friendship between two young sisters in Kyoto.
built around + topic
Discussions around climate change dominated the council meeting last Tuesday.
discussions around + issue
Otto is writing her thesis around the history of women's tea ceremonies.
write around + topic
Many myths grew around the abandoned lighthouse on the rocky cape.
- built around
- centred around
- discussions around
- issues around
- concerning
more formal
- about
simpler and more general
- regarding
formal, written register
Grammar Patterns
noun + around + topic / issue
Usage Note
Object must be an abstract topic, theme, or issue; do not use this sense for physical surrounding (use sense 1 instead).
Common Mistakes
around — adverb
1. used before a number, time, or amount to show that the figure is close to correc
used before a number, time, or amount to show that the figure is close to correct but not exact
There were around fifty people at Otto's wedding last Saturday.
around + number for approximate count
The new bakery opens around seven in the morning every weekday.
around + time for approximate clock time
This jacket costs around two thousand yen at the night market.
around + price
The hike takes around three hours if you walk at a steady pace.
- around twenty / fifty / a hundred
- around midnight
- around noon
- about
very similar; slightly more common in British English
- approximately
more formal, written register
- roughly
informal; suggests less precision
- exactly
opposite — precise figure
Grammar Patterns
around + number / time / quantity
Usage Note
Slightly more conversational than 'approximately'; common before quantities, ages, prices, durations, and clock times.
Common Mistakes
2. in or close to the place where someone is at the moment, without naming the plac
in or close to the place where someone is at the moment, without naming the place
Is your sister around? I want to return her cookbook.
be + around for being nearby
I'll wait around in case Dr. Hiro calls back this afternoon.
wait around for staying nearby
Xander likes to keep his dog around while he works in the garden.
There's nobody around to help us carry these heavy boxes.
- wait around
- stick around
- be around
- stay around
- away
opposite — not present
Grammar Patterns
verb + around (no object)
Usage Note
No object follows; the location is understood from context. Common with 'be', 'wait', 'stay', 'keep', 'have'.
3. moving toward a place that the speaker and listener already have in mind, often
moving toward a place that the speaker and listener already have in mind, often a friend's home or a familiar spot
Why don't you bring the kids around for dinner this Sunday?
bring + around to + place known to both
Xander drove around to pick up the package from his cousin's flat.
drive around to + place
I'll pop around later with the books you asked for.
informal British: pop around
Otto invited her colleagues around for tea after the long meeting.
- come around
- bring around
- invite around
Grammar Patterns
verb of motion + around (toward known destination)
Usage Note
Common in British English with 'come', 'pop', 'bring', 'invite'; the destination is understood (often the speaker's or listener's home).
4. moving from one spot to another with no clear destination or plan, often just to
moving from one spot to another with no clear destination or plan, often just to look or pass time
We spent the whole afternoon driving around with no real plan.
drive around for aimless movement
Tomás walked around for an hour before finding a quiet bench in the park.
walk around for wandering
Otto wandered around the night market for hours with no shopping list.
wander around for aimless movement
The kittens chased each other around the kitchen floor for hours.
- walk around
- look around
- drive around
- run around
- about
British equivalent in the same sense
Grammar Patterns
verb of motion + around (no destination)
Usage Note
Often pairs with motion verbs (walk, drive, run, look); contrast sense 3, where a destination is implied.
5. in every direction from a central point, so that something is enclosed or visibl
in every direction from a central point, so that something is enclosed or visible on all sides
Tall pine trees stood all around, blocking out the city noise completely.
all around for enclosure on every side
Rohan looked around and saw friendly faces watching him on stage.
look around for scanning every direction
Soldiers gathered around to listen as the captain read the new orders.
gather around for grouping on all sides
From the lighthouse top, you can see the open sea all around.
- all around
- look around
- gather around
- all over
informal; less directional
Grammar Patterns
all + around (often with 'all')
Usage Note
Often strengthened by 'all' to emphasise every direction; distinguish from sense 4 — here the focus is the surrounding view, not random motion.
6. moving so that the path traces a full circle or returns to the starting point
moving so that the path traces a full circle or returns to the starting point
The little wooden horses on the carousel spun around to cheerful music.
spin around for rotation
Xander ran around the track three times before stopping for water.
run around + circular path
The Earth travels around the Sun once every year.
travel around in orbit
The toy plane flew around in tight circles above the picnic blanket.
- spin around
- go around
- travel around
- round
British English variant
Grammar Patterns
verb of motion + around (rotational)
Usage Note
Subject often follows a closed path or loop; common with 'spin', 'turn', 'fly', 'run', 'travel'.
7. rotating the body or an object so that it faces the opposite direction from befo
rotating the body or an object so that it faces the opposite direction from before
Rohan turned around when he heard his name from across the cafe.
turn around for facing the other way
The driver swung the truck around in the narrow lane and parked.
swing around for vehicle reversal
Don't look around now, but Xander is sitting right behind you.
Rohan spun around quickly to face the loud crash behind him in the kitchen.
- turn around
- spin around
- swing around
- round
British English variant: 'turn round'
Grammar Patterns
turn / spin / look + around
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 6: here the rotation is a half-turn ending in a new facing, not a full circle.
around — adjective
1. still active, alive, or in use, especially after a long period of time
still active, alive, or in use, especially after a long period of time
That bakery has been around since Rohan's grandmother was a young girl.
be around since + past time for long-running existence
Vinyl records are still around, and many young listeners actually prefer them.
still around for surviving in use
Are wild bears still around in this forest, or have they all gone?
Few of the old fishermen are still around in this quiet harbour town.
- still around
- been around for years
- been around since
- in existence
more formal
- active
stresses still operating
Grammar Patterns
be + around (predicative)
Usage Note
Used only after linking verbs (be, seem, remain), not before a noun. Common with 'still' to stress survival over time.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- roundprepositionA2
- roundadverbA2
- surroundverbB1
- surroundingadjectiveB1
- surroundingsnounB1
Synonym discussion
Sense: adverb/1
When stating that a number is close but not exact, English speakers can choose 'around', 'about', 'approximately', or 'roughly'. 'Around' and 'about' are the most conversational and almost interchangeable, though 'about' is slightly more common in British speech and 'around' is preferred in American English. 'Approximately' is the formal choice — it suits business reports, scientific writing, and announcements, as in 'The flight will arrive approximately at noon.' 'Roughly' signals even less precision, often when the speaker is willing to be off by a wide margin: 'Roughly half the team called in sick.' For everyday talk like 'I'll be there around six' or 'It costs about ten dollars', the first two are natural; save 'approximately' for written or formal contexts.
Common collocations
Nouns
- around the corner
- around the world
- around the clock
- around here
- around midnight
Adverbs
- all around
- right around
- just around
Phrases
- the other way around
- every which way around
- been around the block
Prepositions
- around to
- around for
Etymology
'Around' formed in Middle English by joining the prefix 'a-' (meaning 'on' or 'in') with the older word 'round', which entered English from Old French 'roönd'. That French form traces back to Latin 'rotundus', meaning 'circular' or 'wheel-shaped'. The prefix 'a-' originally signalled position or motion, so 'around' literally suggested 'on a round path'. Over time the word picked up additional meanings — nearby, throughout a place, approximately — but each grew naturally from the core image of moving or being on a curve that returns to itself.