round
ROWND
Round (adjective) means Shaped like a circle or sphere, with no sharp corners. Example: “The table was round, so everyone had an equal seat.”
adjective
1
Shaped like a circle or sphere, with no sharp corners.
"The table was round, so everyone had an equal seat."
"She drew a perfectly round circle on the whiteboard."
"Pebbles smoothed by the river become round over many years."
2
Complete or whole, especially referring to a number ending in a zero.
"The bill came to a nice round fifty dollars."
"Let's call it a round hundred and stop counting the chairs."
"I'll give you a round figure: about two hundred people came."
noun
1
One stage or segment of a competition, game, or fight.
"She won the first round easily but struggled in the second."
"The boxer was knocked down in the third round."
"Our team went through to the next round after a very close game."
2
A single cartridge or shot fired from a gun.
"He fired off a round before the target moved."
"The target shooter carefully loaded a single round into the rifle at the range."
"The instructor checked that every round was accounted for after the training session."
3
A regular route someone travels while doing a job, such as a doctor visiting patients.
"The nurse started her rounds at six in the morning."
"The postman does his round on a bicycle every morning."
"The vet's evening round included three farms and a stable."
4
A drink bought for everyone in a group, or the group's turn to buy drinks.
"It's my round — same again for everyone?"
"Whose round is it? I bought the last one."
"He offered to get in the next round for his colleagues."
verb
1
To approximate a number to the nearest whole number, ten, hundred, etc.
"Round 3.7 up to 4 for a quick estimate."
"The cashier rounded the total down to the nearest dollar."
"Rounding the price to the nearest pound makes mental sums much easier."
2
To go around a corner, bend, or obstacle.
"The cyclist rounded the corner and disappeared behind the high hedge."
"We rounded the headland and saw the village harbour spread out below us."
"The car rounded the bend just as the light changed."
How to use round
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCircular in shape, a complete whole number, one stage of something, or to approximate a figure.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "around," which is a preposition/adverb of location — "round" can work the same way in British English ("come round for dinner") but isn't always interchangeable in American English.
Common pairings
round trip
round of applause
round off
round number
a round of drinks
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Word forms
- Plural
- rounds
- Third person singular
- rounds
- Past tense
- rounded
- Comparative
- more round, rounder
- Superlative
- most round, roundest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The table was _____, so everyone had an equal seat.
Etymology
From Old French roont/ront, ultimately from Latin rotundus ("round, circular") — the same root that gives us "rotund."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for round
See all rhymes for round →Frequently asked questions
What does “round” mean?
The word “round” means shaped like a circle or sphere, with no sharp corners. In plain terms, circular in shape, a complete whole number, one stage of something, or to approximate a figure.
How do you pronounce “round”?
“Round” is pronounced ROWND (/ˈɹaʊ̯nd/ in IPA).
How do you use “round” in a sentence?
Here is “round” used in a sentence: “The table was round, so everyone had an equal seat.”
What is the opposite of “round”?
The opposite of “round” — its antonyms — is fillet.
What part of speech is “round”?
Depending on how it is used, “round” can be an adjective, a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “round” come from?
The word “round” comes from Latin. From Old French roont/ront, ultimately from Latin rotundus ("round, circular") — the same root that gives us "rotund.".
Is “round” a common word?
“Round” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “round” have?
“Round” has 8 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: shaped like a circle or sphere, with no sharp corners.
What is the difference between round, circular, and spherical?
Circular means flat and shaped like a circle, such as a coin or plate. Spherical means ball-shaped in three dimensions, like a globe. Round is the everyday umbrella term for both: anything curved with no sharp corners, whether flat like a wheel or solid like an orange.
What is the opposite of round?
There is no single opposite, but the usual contrasts are square, angular, or straight, depending on context. Round describes smooth curves with no corners, so shapes defined by straight edges and sharp corners, such as squares, rectangles, and triangles, are its natural opposites.
What is an example of something round?
Everyday round objects include balls, wheels, coins, plates, oranges, and the full moon. Some are flat circles, like a coin or a clock face, while others are three-dimensional spheres, like a marble or a globe. What they share is a smooth, curved outline with no sharp corners.
Can round describe more than shape?
Yes. Beyond shape, round can mean complete or whole, as in a round number, one ending in zero, or a round dozen. It also appears in phrases like a round figure. These uses still carry the core idea of something neat and full, without rough edges or loose ends.
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