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environment

/ɛnˈvaɪərnmɪnt/

/ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt/

IPA guide

Other forms: environments

Think of the environment as everything that is around you. A quiet room with good lighting and no distractions is a good environment for doing homework, or at least that's what your parents and teachers think.

Environment generally refers to your surroundings. If something is good for the environment, it is beneficial to the complex system of plant and animal life, water and air on Earth. An environment need not be so large, however. The environment of your living room means the tables, chairs and decor that are in the room. Sometimes it refers to the general attitude of a place. Do you thrive in a competitive environment or prefer an atmosphere of cooperation?

Definitions of environment
  1. noun
    the totality of surrounding conditions
    “he longed for the comfortable environment of his living room”
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    types:
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    circumstance, context, setting
    the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation or event
    ecology
    the environment as it relates to living organisms
    background, scope, setting
    the state of the environment in which a situation exists
    home
    an environment offering affection and security
    milieu, surroundings
    the environmental condition
    area, arena, domain, field, orbit, sphere
    a particular environment or walk of life
    street
    the streets of a city viewed as a depressed environment in which there is poverty and crime and prostitution and dereliction
    conditions
    the set of circumstances that affect someone's welfare
    conditions
    the prevailing context that influences the performance or the outcome of a process
    canvas, canvass
    the setting for a narrative or fictional or dramatic account
    distaff
    the sphere of work by women
    front
    a sphere of activity involving effort
    kingdom, land, realm
    a domain in which something is dominant
    lap
    an area of control or responsibility
    political arena, political sphere
    a sphere of intense political activity
    preserve
    a domain that seems to be specially reserved for someone
    province, responsibility
    the proper sphere or extent of your activities
    show window, showcase
    a setting in which something can be displayed to best effect
    type of:
    situation, state of affairs
    the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
  2. noun
    the area in which something exists or lives
    synonyms: environs, surround, surroundings
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    ambiance, ambience
    the atmosphere of an environment
    medium
    the surrounding environment
    scene, setting
    the context and environment in which something is set
    element
    the most favorable environment for a plant or animal
    habitat, home ground
    the type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives or occurs
    melting pot
    an environment in which many ideas and races are socially assimilated
    parts
    the local environment
    scenario
    a setting for a work of art or literature
    habitation
    the native habitat or home of an animal or plant
    type of:
    geographic area, geographic region, geographical area, geographical region
    a demarcated area of the Earth
  3. noun
    (with 'the') the natural physical world including plants, animals, landscapes, etc.
    synonyms: nature
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    type of:
    cosmos, creation, existence, macrocosm, universe, world
    everything that exists anywhere
Pronunciation
US

/ɛnˈvaɪərnmɪnt/

UK

/ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt/

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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘environment'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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