statement

American  

[steyt-muhnt] / ˈsteɪt mənt /

noun

1. something stated.

2. a communication or declaration in speech or writing, setting forth facts, particulars, etc.

3. a single sentence or assertion.

   I agree with everything you said except for your last statement.

4. Commerce. an abstract of an account, as one rendered to show the balance due.

5. an appearance of a theme, subject, or motif within a musical composition.

6. the act or manner of stating something.

7. the communication of an idea, position, mood, or the like through something other than words.

   The furniture in the room makes a statement about the occupant's love of color. Walking out of the meeting will be a statement of our refusal to submit.

8. Computers. an instruction or other elementary component in a high-level programming language.

---

adjective

1. noting or relating to an item of jewelry, clothing, home décor, etc., that stands out usually because of its large size or bold design.

   a statement necklace, a statement bowl for your entryway table.

statement British  

/ ˈsteɪtmənt /

noun

1. the act of stating

2. something that is stated, esp a formal prepared announcement or reply

3. law a declaration of matters of fact, esp in a pleading

4. an account containing a summary of bills or invoices and displaying the total amount due

5. an account prepared by a bank for each of its clients, usually at regular intervals, to show all credits and debits since the last account and the balance at the end of the period

6. music the presentation of a musical theme or idea, such as the subject of a fugue or sonata

7. a computer instruction written in a source language, such as FORTRAN, which is converted into one or more machine code instructions by a compiler

8. logic the content of a sentence that affirms or denies something and may be true or false; what is thereby affirmed or denied abstracted from the act of uttering it. Thus I am warm said by me and you are warm said to me make the same statement Compare proposition

9. education a legally binding account of the needs of a pupil with special educational needs and the provisions that will be made to meet them

---

verb

1. to assess (a pupil) with regard to his or her special educational needs

Other Word Forms

• nonstatement
  noun

Etymology

Origin of statement

First recorded in 1750–55; state (verb) + -ment

Explanation

A statement is a sentence that says something is true, like "Pizza is delicious." There are other kinds of statements in the worlds of the law, banking, and government. All statements claim something or make a point. If you witness an accident, you make a statement to police, describing what you saw. You get a statement from your bank, a monthly record of what you spent and what you have left. Sometimes a statement isn't so official — it's just some kind of point being made. People say someone's car makes a statement — or their clothes do. Running away on your wedding day would make a huge statement.

Example Sentences

Toward the end of the Florida opioid deliberations, Juror No. 9, the nurse, wrote the judge a note titled “Confidential Formal Statement of Juror Misconduct.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Statement on the occasion of the visit of the U.S.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

The Spring Statement may feel distant from your everyday life, but if the economy grows that should mean higher pay and more job opportunities.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will give an update on her plans for the UK economy, when she delivers the Spring Statement on 3 March.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

The missing Environmental Impact Statement made the front page of the Gazette and ultimately proved to be the fatal blow to the pancake-house project.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

Related Words

• account
• affidavit
• allegation
• announcement
• assurance
• charge
• comment
• description
• explanation
• presentation
• proclamation
• remark
• report
• testimony
• word