Round Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on February 29, 2024
"Round" describes a shape or object that is circular or curved; it can also refer to a complete cycle or a sequence of events. e.g., The table was round.
Table of Contents
Round Definitions
Round means shaped like a circle or sphere.
She wore a round pendant.
Round refers to a complete cycle or rotation.
The clock completed its round at midnight.
Round denotes a single serving of drinks for a group.
He bought a round for everyone at the bar.
Round implies comprehensive or thorough.
They did a round check of the premises.
Round means a bullet or a shot in firearms.
The hunter loaded a round into the rifle.
Round conveys a recurring or regular journey.
The bus makes its round through the city.
Round refers to a unit or stage in a competition.
The contestants prepared for the next round.
Being such that every part of the surface or the circumference is equidistant from the center
A round ball.
Moving in or forming a circle.
Shaped like a cylinder; cylindrical.
Rather rounded in shape
The child's round face.
Full in physique; plump
A round figure.
(Linguistics) Formed or articulated with the lips in a rounded shape
A round vowel.
Full in tone; sonorous.
Whole or complete; full
A round dozen.
(Mathematics) Having been rounded.
Not exact, especially when expressed as a multiple of 10; approximate
A round estimate.
Large; considerable
A round sum of money.
Brought to satisfactory conclusion or completion; finished.
Outspoken; blunt
A round scolding.
Done with full force; unrestrained
Gave me a round thrashing.
Something, such as a circle, disk, globe, or ring, that is round.
A circle formed of various things.
Movement around a circle or about an axis.
A rung or crossbar, as one on a ladder or chair.
A cut of beef from the part of the thigh between the rump and the shank.
An assembly of people; a group.
A round dance.
A complete course, succession, or series
A round of parties.
A round of negotiations.
Often rounds A course of customary or prescribed actions, duties, or places
Physicians' rounds.
A complete range or extent.
One drink for each person in a gathering or group
Let me buy the next round.
A single outburst, as of applause or cheering.
A single shot or volley.
Ammunition for a single shot or volley.
A specified number of arrows shot from a specified distance to a target in archery.
Sports & Games A unit of play that occupies a specified time, constitutes a certain number of plays, or allows each player a turn, especially the 18-hole sequence played in golf or one of the periods in a boxing match.
(Music) A composition for two or more voices in which each voice enters at a different time with the same melody.
To make round or curved
Rounded his lips in surprise.
Rounded off the end of the board.
(Linguistics) To pronounce with rounded lips; labialize.
To fill out; make plump.
To bring to completion or perfection; finish. Often used with out or off
The new dog rounded out our household. The speaker rounded off his lecture with a joke.
(Mathematics) To approximate (a real number) by a nearby rational number with a specified level of precision. When rounded to the nearest hundred, 286 becomes 300. When rounded to the nearest tenth, 1.63 becomes 1.6.
To make a turn about or to the other side of
Rounded a bend in the road.
To make a complete circuit of; go or pass around
Rounded the entire peninsula.
(Archaic) To encompass; surround:
To become round or curved.
To take a circular course; complete or partially complete a circuit
Racecars rounding into the final lap.
To turn about, as on an axis
Rounded and came back across the field.
To become filled out or plump.
To develop into satisfactory completion or perfection
Is rounding into a fine quarterback.
To whisper.
In a circular progression or movement; around.
With revolutions
Wheels moving round.
To a specific place or person
Called round for the pastor.
Sent round for the veterinarian.
Around.
From the beginning to the end of; throughout
A plant that grows round the year.
(physical) Of shape:
Circular or cylindrical; having a circular cross-section in one direction.
We sat at a round table to make conversation easier.
Spherical; shaped like a ball; having a circular cross-section in more than one direction.
The ancient Egyptian demonstrated that the Earth is round, not flat.
Lacking sharp angles; having gentle curves.
Our child's bed has round corners for safety.
Plump.
Complete, whole, not lacking.
The baker sold us a round dozen.
(of a number) Convenient for rounding other numbers to; for example, ending in a zero.
One hundred is a nice round number.
(phonetics) Pronounced with the lips drawn together; rounded.
Outspoken; plain and direct; unreserved; not mincing.
A round answer; a round oath
Finished; polished; not defective or abrupt; said of authors or their writing style.
Consistent; fair; just; applied to conduct.
Large in magnitude.
Well-written and well-characterized; complex and reminiscent of a real person.
(architecture) Vaulted.
A circular or spherical object or part of an object.
A circular or repetitious route.
Hospital rounds
The prison guards have started their nightly rounds.
A general outburst from a group of people at an event.
The candidate got a round of applause after every sentence or two.
A song that is sung by groups of people with each subset of people starting at a different time.
A serving of something; a portion of something to each person in a group.
They brought us a round of drinks about every thirty minutes.
A single individual portion or dose of medicine.
One sandwich (two full slices of bread with filling).
(art) A long-bristled, circular-headed paintbrush used in oil and acrylic painting.
A firearm cartridge, bullet, or any individual ammunition projectile. Originally referring to the spherical projectile ball of a smoothbore firearm. Compare round shot and solid shot.
(sports) One of the specified pre-determined segments of the total time of a sport event, such as a boxing or wrestling match, during which contestants compete before being signaled to stop.
A stage, level, set of events in a game
(sports) A stage in a competition.
Qualifying rounds of the championship
(sports) In some sports, e.g. golf or showjumping: one complete way around the course.
(video games) A stage or level of a game.
(cards) The play after each deal.
A rounded relief or cut at an edge, especially an outside edge, added for a finished appearance and to soften sharp edges.
A strip of material with a circular face that covers an edge, gap, or crevice for decorative, sanitary, or security purposes.
All furniture in the nursery had rounds on the edges and in the crevices.
(butchery) The hindquarters of a bovine.
(dated) A rung, as of a ladder.
A crosspiece that joins and braces the legs of a chair.
A series of changes or events ending where it began; a series of like events recurring in continuance; a cycle; a periodical revolution.
The round of the seasons
A round of pleasures
A course of action or conduct performed by a number of persons in turn, or one after another, as if seated in a circle.
A series of duties or tasks which must be performed in turn, and then repeated.
A circular dance.
Rotation, as in office; succession.
A general discharge of firearms by a body of troops in which each soldier fires once.
An assembly; a group; a circle.
A round of politicians
A brewer's vessel in which the fermentation is concluded, the yeast escaping through the bunghole.
(archaic) A vessel filled, as for drinking.
(nautical) A round-top.
A round of beef.
A whisper; whispering.
Discourse; song.
Alternative form of around
I look round the room quickly to make sure it's neat.
Alternative form of around
(transitive) To shape something into a curve.
The carpenter rounded the edges of the table.
(intransitive) To become shaped into a curve.
(with "out") To finish; to complete; to fill out.
She rounded out her education with only a single mathematics class.
(intransitive) To approximate a number, especially a decimal number by the closest whole number.
Ninety-five rounds up to one hundred.
(transitive) To turn past a boundary.
Helen watched him until he rounded the corner.
(intransitive) To turn and attack someone or something (used with on).
As a group of policemen went past him, one of them rounded on him, grabbing him by the arm.
To advance to home plate.
And the runners round the bases on the double by Jones.
(transitive) To go round, pass, go past.
To encircle; to encompass.
To grow round or full; hence, to attain to fullness, completeness, or perfection.
To do ward rounds.
To go round, as a guard; to make the rounds.
To go or turn round; to wheel about.
To speak in a low tone; whisper; speak secretly; take counsel.
To address or speak to in a whisper, utter in a whisper.
To whisper.
The Bishop of Glasgow rounding in his ear, "Ye are not a wise man," . . . he rounded likewise to the bishop, and said, "Wherefore brought ye me here?"
To make circular, spherical, or cylindrical; to give a round or convex figure to; as, to round a silver coin; to round the edges of anything.
Worms with many feet, which round themselves into balls, are bred chiefly under logs of timber.
The figures on our modern medals are raised and rounded to a very great perfection.
To surround; to encircle; to encompass.
The inclusive vergeOf golden metal that must round my brow.
To bring to fullness or completeness; to complete; hence, to bring to a fit conclusion.
We are such stuffAs dreams are made on, and our little lifeIs rounded with a sleep.
To go round wholly or in part; to go about (a corner or point); as, to round a corner; to round Cape Horn.
To make full, smooth, and flowing; as, to round periods in writing.
To grow round or full; hence, to attain to fullness, completeness, or perfection.
The queen your mother rounds apace.
So rounds he to a separate mind,From whence clear memory may begin.
To go round, as a guard.
They . . . nightly rounding walk.
To go or turn round; to wheel about.
Having every portion of the surface or of the circumference equally distant from the center; spherical; circular; having a form approaching a spherical or a circular shape; orbicular; globular; as, a round ball.
Upon the firm opacous globeOf this round world.
Having the form of a cylinder; cylindrical; as, the barrel of a musket is round.
Having a curved outline or form; especially, one like the arc of a circle or an ellipse, or a portion of the surface of a sphere; rotund; bulging; protuberant; not angular or pointed; as, a round arch; round hills.
Full; complete; not broken; not fractional; approximately in even units, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.; - said of numbers.
Pliny put a round number near the truth, rather than the fraction.
Not inconsiderable; large; hence, generous; free; as, a round price.
Three thousand ducats; 'tis a good round sum.
Round was their pace at first, but slackened soon.
Uttered or emitted with a full tone; as, a round voice; a round note.
Modified, as a vowel, by contraction of the lip opening, making the opening more or less round in shape; rounded; labialized; labial. See Guide to Pronunciation, 11.
Outspoken; plain and direct; unreserved; unqualified; not mincing; as, a round answer; a round oath.
Sir Toby, I must be round with you.
Full and smoothly expanded; not defective or abrupt; finished; polished; - said of style, or of authors with reference to their style.
In his satires Horace is quick, round, and pleasant.
Complete and consistent; fair; just; - applied to conduct.
Round dealing is the honor of man's nature.
Anything round, as a circle, a globe, a ring. "The golden round" [the crown].
In labyrinth of many a round self-rolled.
A series of changes or events ending where it began; a series of like events recurring in continuance; a cycle; a periodical revolution; as, the round of the seasons; a round of pleasures.
A course ending where it began; a circuit; a beat; especially, one freguently or regulary traversed; also, the act of traversing a circuit; as, a watchman's round; the rounds of the postman.
A series of duties or tasks which must be performed in turn, and then repeated.
The trivial round, the common task.
One work cycle, consisting of drilling blast holes, loading them with explosive, blasting, mucking out, and, if necessary, installing temporary support.
. . . Inco is still much more advanced than other mining companies. He says that the LKAB mine in Sweden is the closest rival. He predicts that, by 2008, Inco can reach a new productivity plateau, doubling the current mining productivity from 3,350 tonnes to 6,350 tonnes per person per year. Another aim is to triple the mine cycle rate (the time to drill, blast and muck a round) from one cycle to three complete cycles per 24 hours.
A course of action or conduct performed by a number of persons in turn, or one after another, as if seated in a circle.
Women to cards may be compared: we playA round or two; which used, we throw away.
The feast was served; the bowl was crowned;To the king's pleasure went the mirthful round.
A complete set of plays in a game or contest covering a standard number of individual plays or parts; as, a round of golf; a round of tennis.
One set of games in a tournament.
The time during which prize fighters or boxers are in actual contest without an intermission, as prescribed by their rules; a bout.
A circular dance.
Come, knit hands, and beat the ground,In a light fantastic round.
That which goes round a whole circle or company; as, a round of applause.
Rotation, as in office; succession.
The step of a ladder; a rundle or rung; also, a crosspiece which joins and braces the legs of a chair.
All the rounds like Jacob's ladder rise.
A walk performed by a guard or an officer round the rampart of a garrison, or among sentinels, to see that the sentinels are faithful and all things safe; also, the guard or officer, with his attendants, who performs this duty; - usually in the plural.
A short vocal piece, resembling a catch in which three or four voices follow each other round in a species of canon in the unison.
A brewer's vessel in which the fermentation is concluded, the yeast escaping through the bunghole.
A vessel filled, as for drinking; as, to drink a round od ale together.
An assembly; a group; a circle; as, a round of politicians.
See Roundtop.
Same as Round of beef, below.
Worm-eaten gentlemen of the round, such as have vowed to sit on the skirts of the city, let your provost and his half dozen of halberdiers do what they can.
On all sides; around.
Round he throws his baleful eyes.
Circularly; in a circular form or manner; by revolving or reversing one's position; as, to turn one's head round; a wheel turns round.
In circumference; as, a ball is ten inches round.
From one side or party to another; as to come or turn round, - that is, to change sides or opinions.
By or in a circuit; by a course longer than the direct course; back to the starting point.
Through a circle, as of friends or houses.
The invitations were sent round accordingly.
Roundly; fully; vigorously.
On every side of, so as to encompass or encircle; around; about; as, the people atood round him; to go round the city; to wind a cable round a windlass.
The serpent Error twines round human hearts.
A charge of ammunition for a single shot
An interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs;
The neverending cycle of the seasons
A regular route for a sentry or policeman;
In the old days a policeman walked a beat and knew all his people by name
(often plural) a series of professional calls (usually in a set order);
The doctor goes on his rounds first thing every morning
The postman's rounds
We enjoyed our round of the local bars
The activity of playing 18 holes of golf;
A round of golf takes about 4 hours
The usual activities in your day;
The doctor made his rounds
(sports) a period of play during which one team is on the offensive
The course along which communications spread;
The story is going the rounds in Washington
A serving to each of a group (usually alcoholic);
He ordered a second round
A cut of beef between the rump and the lower leg
A partsong in which voices follow each other; one voice starts and others join in one after another until all are singing different parts of the song at the same time;
They enjoyed singing rounds
An outburst of applause;
There was a round of applause
A crosspiece between the legs of a chair
Any circular or rotating mechanism;
The machine punched out metal circles
Wind around; move along a circular course;
Round the bend
Make round;
Round the edges
Be around;
Developments surround the town
The river encircles the village
Pronounce with rounded lips
Attack in speech or writing;
The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker
Bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state;
Polish your social manners
Express as a round number;
Round off the amount
Become round, plump, or shapely;
The young woman is fleshing out
Having a circular shape
(of sounds) full and rich;
Orotund tones
The rotund and reverberating phrase
Pear-shaped vowels
(of numbers) to the nearest ten, hundred, or thousand;
In round numbers
From beginning to end; throughout;
It rains all year round on Skye
Frigid weather the year around
Round signifies a sequence in a game or sport.
He won the first round of the match.
Round suggests smooth and without sharp angles.
The artist preferred round brushes.
Round indicates a musical composition meant to be sung in a cycle.
The children sang a round in harmony.
Round Snonyms
Spherical
Shaped like a sphere or ball.
The child played with the spherical balloon.
Circularity
The quality of being shaped like a circle.
The circularity of the design was visually pleasing.
Cycle
A series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order.
The water cycle is a vital ecological process.
Rotund
Round in shape; rounded.
The rotund figure of the man was outlined against the sunset.
Curved
Having a smoothly bending shape like part of a circle.
The curved road snaked through the mountains.
Orbital
Relating to an orbit or circular path.
The moon's orbital movement influences the tides.
Loop
A shape produced by a curve that bends around and crosses itself.
The ribbon was tied in a pretty loop.
Circular
Having the shape of a circle.
The table was circular, perfect for group discussions.
Globular
Having the shape of a globe; spherical.
The scientist observed the globular clusters through the telescope.
Ring
A small circular band, typically of precious metal.
She admired the ring's intricate design.
Round Idioms & Phrases
Round the bend
Slightly insane or very eccentric.
He's been acting so strangely lately, I think he's gone round the bend.
Square peg in a round hole
Someone who does not fit in a particular place or situation.
He felt like a square peg in a round hole in his corporate job.
Round up the usual suspects
To gather the typical or expected people or things.
When the project failed, the manager had to round up the usual suspects for a meeting.
Come full round
To return to the original position or condition after a series of changes.
After exploring various careers, she came full round and took over her family's business.
Talk in circles/rounds
To talk about something without ever coming to a conclusion.
The meeting was unproductive; everyone just talked in circles.
Run rings round someone
To be much better or more skilled than someone.
She could run rings round her colleagues when it came to sales.
Round the clock
Continuously, all day and all night.
The nurses worked round the clock to care for the patients.
In the round
Something being presented or viewed from all sides.
The sculpture was best appreciated when seen in the round.
Go another round
To try or attempt something again.
Despite the failure, they decided to go another round and re-launch the product.
Look round
To explore or inspect an area.
They spent the afternoon looking round the old town.
Come round
To change one's opinion or decision to agree with someone else.
At first skeptical, he finally came round to supporting the idea.
Round on someone
To suddenly turn and confront someone aggressively.
She rounded on him for his constant criticism.
Get round to something
To eventually find time to do something.
I hope to get round to repainting the kitchen next weekend.
Round off something
To complete or finish something in a satisfactory way.
He rounded off the presentation with a compelling summary.
Make the rounds
To go from one place to another, usually as part of a routine.
The doctor made her rounds every morning.
Round figure
An approximate amount, usually to the nearest ten, hundred, etc.
He estimated the cost to be a round figure of $1,000.
Round up
To increase a number to the nearest whole number.
The total was rounded up to the nearest dollar.
Bring someone round
To persuade someone to agree or understand.
After much discussion, she finally brought him round to her point of view.
Round the corner
Very near or imminent in time.
Summer is just round the corner.
Round table
A meeting where all participants have equal status.
The peace talks were conducted at a round table to ensure fairness.
Round Example Sentences
He completed his round of the garden.
They gathered round the campfire.
He polished the round doorknob until it shone.
The round window offered a unique view.
She cut the cake into round pieces.
The room had round tables for guests.
The moon was perfectly round in the sky.
The round of applause was enthusiastic.
She enjoyed the merry-go-round at the fair.
They sang a round of traditional songs.
She drew a round face on the balloon.
The wheel was too round to fit.
The boxer trained for ten rounds.
The group played several rounds of the board game.
They set out on their daily round of deliveries.
Common Curiosities
How is round used in a sentence?
Round can be used as a noun, adjective, or verb, e.g., "They sat around the round table," or "She will round the number to the nearest ten."
Why is it called round?
It is called round from the Old French word "rond," meaning circular, describing shapes or objects that are circular or spherical.
How do we divide round into syllables?
Round is not divided into syllables as it is a single syllable word.
How many syllables are in round?
There is 1 syllable in "round."
What is a stressed syllable in round?
In the word "round," the single syllable "round" is stressed.
What is the verb form of round?
The verb form of round is "round" (e.g., to round off or round up).
What is the pronunciation of round?
Round is pronounced as /raʊnd/.
What is the first form of round?
As a verb, the first form is "round" (present tense).
What is the root word of round?
The root word of round is the Old French word "rond," meaning circular.
What part of speech is round?
Round can be a noun, an adjective, or a verb, depending on its use in a sentence.
Is round a countable noun?
Yes, when round is used as a noun, it is countable (e.g., several rounds of a game).
Is the word “round” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Round" can serve as a direct object in a sentence when used as a noun, e.g., "He completed a round."
What is the third form of round?
The third form is "rounded" (past participle).
Is round an abstract noun?
No, as a noun, round is not abstract; it refers to a shape or a series (e.g., a round of golf).
Is round a negative or positive word?
Round is neutral; it is neither inherently negative nor positive.
Is the word round Gerund?
The gerund form of round is "rounding."
Which determiner is used with round?
Determiners like "a," "an," "the," or possessives like "my," "your," etc., can be used with "round" depending on the context, e.g., "a round table," "the next round."
What is the plural form of round?
The plural form is "rounds" when used as a noun.
What is the opposite of round?
The opposite of round could be "angular" or "flat."
Is round a noun or adjective?
Round can be a noun, adjective, or verb.
Is round an adverb?
No, round is not an adverb.
Is round a vowel or consonant?
The word "round" starts with a consonant.
Is the word round imperative?
Round can be used in the imperative form when used as a verb, e.g., "Round the numbers."
Which vowel is used before round?
When using an indefinite article before "round," "a" is used because "round" begins with a consonant sound, e.g., "a round object."
Which preposition is used with round?
Prepositions used with "round" vary based on context, like "round the corner" or "in the next round."
What is the second form of round?
The second form is "rounded" (past tense).
What is the singular form of round?
The singular form is "round."
Is round a collective noun?
No, round is not typically used as a collective noun.
Is the round term a metaphor?
The word "round" can be used metaphorically in certain contexts, but it is not inherently a metaphor.
Which article is used with round?
The indefinite article "a" is used with "round" when it precedes a noun starting with a consonant sound, e.g., "a round shape." "The" can be used when referring to a specific instance, e.g., "the round table."
What is another term for round?
Another term for round is "circular" or "spherical."
Which conjunction is used with round?
Conjunctions are not specific to the word "round" and depend on the sentence structure. Examples include "and," "but," or "or."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
