situation
Americannoun
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situations
plural
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manner of being situated; location or position with reference to environment.
The situation of the house allowed for a beautiful view.
- Synonyms:
- site
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a place or locality.
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condition; case; plight.
He is in a desperate situation.
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the state of affairs; combination of circumstances.
The present international situation is dangerous.
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a position or post of employment; job.
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a state of affairs of special or critical significance in the course of a play, novel, etc.
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Sociology. the aggregate of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors acting on an individual or group to condition behavioral patterns.
noun
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physical placement, esp with regard to the surroundings
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state of affairs; combination of circumstances
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a complex or critical state of affairs in a novel, play, etc
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social or financial status, position, or circumstances
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a position of employment; post
Usage
Situation is often used in contexts in which it is redundant or imprecise. Typical examples are: the company is in a crisis situation or people in a job situation. In the first example, situation does not add to the meaning and should be omitted. In the second example, it would be clearer and more concise to substitute a phrase such as people at work
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of situation
First recorded in 1480–90, situation is from the Medieval Latin word situātiōn- (stem of situātiō ). See situate, -ion
Explanation
Situation is related to the verb "situate," which means to place. A building might be situated on the top of a hill — that's its position or situation. You've probably heard the term "sitcom," but may not realize it is short for "situation comedy," or a comedy where the humor is based on a set of quirky circumstances the characters find themselves placed in. A situation can also mean a set of circumstances that you find yourself placed in: holding both halves of a crazy aunt's broken vase could be a sticky situation — perfect for a situation comedy.
Vocabulary lists containing situation
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 8
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The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
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The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"For these reasons, the 70 percent storage level value must be interpreted flexibly and considered in light of the overall supply situation," the ministry spokeswoman said.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
We both sat down on the curb — we’re pondering how we’ve got ourselves into this impossible situation when a limo pulls up to the light.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
I realize this is still a very new situation, but again – I’m curious about the pros and cons.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
Seven out of the 800 Coop stores in Sweden are also affected but the "situation is currently contained and under control", the company told the BBC.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
I turned back to the flicker, charmed and a little surprised to see him so touched by George’s sad situation.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Few Russians use the affected application, run by the ministry of emergency situations.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
This includes deliberate misuse by bad actors for cyberattacks, and also situations where humans lose control of advanced AI systems.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
Like Fielder’s subjects in “The Rehearsal,” I sometimes prepare for complex social situations, because I don’t improvise well when I’m overwhelmed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
He said the firm would cover all losses from its emergency reserve set up for such situations, and make up the rest with company funds.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
I should carry extra Jolly Ranchers to keep her calm in situations like this.
From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
