Which one is correct?
"surrounded by" or "surrounded with"?

Question

Which one is correct?
"surrounded by" or "surrounded with"?

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Use 'surrounded by' when you want to indicate that something is encircling or enclosing a person or object.

Examples:

The house was surrounded by a beautiful garden.
She felt surrounded by love and support.
The city is surrounded by mountains.
The castle was surrounded by a moat.
The children were surrounded by toys.

Alternatives:

encircled by
enveloped by
hemmed in by
ringed by
enclosed by

Use 'surrounded with' when you want to describe the presence of something in the surrounding area.

Examples:

The room was surrounded with beautiful artwork.
The garden was surrounded with a tall fence.
The table was surrounded with chairs.
The house was surrounded with trees.
The city was surrounded with a protective wall.

Alternatives:

filled with
adorned with
decorated with
accompanied by
teeming with

Both 'surrounded by' and 'surrounded with' are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Surrounded by' is more commonly used to indicate something encircling or enclosing a person or object, while 'surrounded with' is used to describe the presence of something in the surrounding area.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024