surroundings
What encircles you
Surroundings are everything in the environment immediately around a person or thing: She took a moment to absorb her surroundings.
The word emphasizes what's nearby and perceptible rather than the broader landscape or context.
You might find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings, or notice how someone's surroundings reflect their personality.
Social or cultural surroundings
- backdropRear stage scenery
- circumstancesConditions affecting an event
- conditionsPrevailing state of affairs
- situationState of affairs
background · framework · landscape · scenario · zeitgeist · ethos · sociocultural · historical
Residential area nearby
- districtBounded administrative area
- areaExtent of surface
- regionIndefinite bounded area
- vicinityNearby surrounding area
locality · zone · precinct · borough · quarter · enclave · suburb · community
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
- floraPlants of a region
- faunaAnimal life collectively
- biodiversityRange of life forms
terrain · topography · landscape · wildlife · nature · climate · geography · biome
Gaseous layer around planets
- ambiencePervading mood of place
- airGaseous envelope surrounding Earth
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
lighting · acoustics · scent · aroma · warmth · chill · brightness · dimness
At small distance
- adjacentDirectly next to
- neighboringSituated beside another
- closeNearby or to shut
- immediateHappening without delay
adjoining · bordering · contiguous · proximal · abutting · encompassing · encircling · peripheral
milieu
Social or cultural surroundings
- backdropRear stage scenery
- circumstancesConditions affecting an event
- conditionsPrevailing state of affairs
situation · background · framework · landscape · scenario · zeitgeist · ethos · sociocultural · historical · cultural
neighborhood
Residential area nearby
vicinity · locality · zone · precinct · borough · quarter · enclave · suburb · community · block
ecosystem
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
biodiversity · terrain · topography · landscape · wildlife · nature · climate · geography · biome · vegetation
atmosphere
Gaseous layer around planets
- ambiencePervading mood of place
- airGaseous envelope surrounding Earth
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
humidity · lighting · acoustics · scent · aroma · warmth · chill · brightness · dimness · noise
nearby
At small distance
- adjacentDirectly next to
- neighboringSituated beside another
- closeNearby or to shut
immediate · adjoining · bordering · contiguous · proximal · abutting · encompassing · encircling · peripheral · outlying
location
Position in space
grounds · premises · property · estate · compound · complex · campus · facilities · interior · exterior
- placescity, town, village, hamlet, building
- contextbackground, setting, circumstances, situation, framework
- plural-only wordsscissors, pants, trousers, jeans, shorts
- vicinitiesneighborhood, district, area, locale, environs
- locationhere, there, place, position, location
- spacesspace, alcove, compartment, corner, place
surroundingscenter
Middle of anything
core · nucleus · focal point · middle · interior
surroundingsspotlight
Concentrated illumination source
focus · foreground · subject · main attraction · centerpiece
- surrounding areasNearby places collectively
- natural surroundingsIndigenous environmental setting
- surrounding forestsEncircling wooded land
- immediate surroundings
- surrounding villagesSettlements encircling a center
- surrounding countrysideRural area encircling settlement