French Conversation · Level 121
59 words
French word
encercler
Pronunciation
IPA/ɑ̃sɛʁkle/
Meaning
- verbsurround
Example
Les soldats vont encercler la colline.
The soldiers will surround the hill.
More examples
La foule a encerclé le magasin.
The crowd encircled the store.
Core concept
An outer circle tightens around a hill or person so passage in and out is blocked.
Common phrases
encercler le magasin
encircle the store
encercler une zone
encircle an area
Similar words
entourer: Surround something on all sides.
bloquer: Block a passage or entrance so people or things cannot pass.
isoler: Cut something off from others and prevent outside access.
cerner: Surround something and restrict movement within it.
Definition in French
Faire le tour d'une personne ou d'un lieu pour l'isoler ou empêcher l'accès.
Word origin
Built from en- and cercle, which came through Old French from Latin circulus, encercler describes making a circle around a target.
Usage tips
- For a neutral everyday sense of surrounding, entourer is often more natural, while encercler suggests containment or a cordon.