Crossword Genius

Group in goal is surrounded (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

encircled

'is surrounded' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'group in goal' is the wordplay.
'group' becomes 'circle' (I've seen this in other clues).
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'goal' becomes 'end' (both can mean a purpose).
'circle' placed into 'end' is 'ENCIRCLED'.

(Another definition for encircled that I've seen is " Surrounded".)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.