circumstance

[ sur-kuhm-stans or, especially British, -stuhns ]

/ ˈsɜr kəmˌstæns or, especially British, -stəns /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: circumstance / circumstanced / circumstances / circumstancing on Thesaurus.com

noun

a condition, detail, part, or attribute, with respect to time, place, manner, agent, etc., that accompanies, determines, or modifies a fact or event; a modifying or influencing factor: Do not judge his behavior without considering every circumstance.

Usually circumstances . the existing conditions or state of affairs surrounding and affecting an agent: Circumstances permitting, we sail on Monday.

an unessential or secondary accompaniment of any fact or event; minor detail: The author dwells on circumstances rather than essentials.

circumstances, the condition or state of a person with respect to income and material welfare: a family in reduced circumstances.

an incident or occurrence: His arrival was a fortunate circumstance.

detailed or circuitous narration; specification of particulars: The speaker expatiated with great circumstance upon his theme.

Archaic. ceremonious accompaniment or display: pomp and circumstance.

verb (used with object), cir·cum·stanced, cir·cum·stanc·ing.

to place in particular circumstances or relations: The company was favorably circumstanced by the rise in tariffs.

Obsolete.

to furnish with details.
to control or guide by circumstances.

OTHER WORDS FOR circumstance

2 conditions, situation, things.

See synonyms for circumstance on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

GOOSES. GEESES. I WANT THIS QUIZ ON PLURAL NOUNS!

Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.

Question 1 of 9

Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about circumstance

under no circumstances, regardless of events or conditions; never: Under no circumstances should you see them again.

under the circumstances, because of the conditions; as the case stands: Under the circumstances, there is little hope for an early settlement.Also in the circumstances.

Origin of circumstance

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Latin circumstantia (circumstant-, stem of circumstāns, present participle of circumstāre “to stand round”), equivalent to circum- circum- + stā- stand + -nt present participle suffix + -ia noun suffix; see -ance

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use circumstance in a sentence

The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s hearing was part of a broader investigation into the circumstances surrounding Linick’s ouster in the spring.
State Department offers murky analysis of job performance survey to justify inspector general’s firing|Karoun Demirjian, Carol Morello|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
The Anthropocene may seem like the right name now, but it is tethered too tightly to our present circumstance, defining our epoch by what is below us rather than ahead of us.
Dawn of the Heliocene - Issue 90: Something Green|Summer Praetorius|September 16, 2020|Nautilus
In any case, after about a week I had caught five star-nosed moles, more than I had expected under the best of circumstances.
How to hunt for star-nosed moles (and their holes)|Kenneth Catania|September 15, 2020|Popular-Science
So yes, there were circumstances that hindered his ability this postseason.
Everything Should Be On The Table For The Houston Rockets. Even James Harden’s Future.|Chris Herring (chris.herring@fivethirtyeight.com)|September 14, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

Some believed that was as good as possible, given the circumstances, and enough evidence that audiences would follow new releases into theaters.
‘Wonder Woman 1984’ is being delayed again|radmarya|September 11, 2020|Fortune
And as he adjusted to this change in circumstances, he screamed at himself a second time: Wait!
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Guilt, when dispensed in the circumstances Morris occupied, is the anti-Viagra.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The grim instability of shelter life is hardly a recipe for success under the best of circumstances.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside|Justin Rohrlich|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Gender roles exceed the biological circumstances of childbirth and they are, perhaps, much less likely to change.
Men Will Someday Have Kids Without Women|Samantha Allen|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I wish I could be writing to you under better circumstances, but unfortunately those avenues have closed up.
Dear Leelah, We Will Fight On For You: A Letter to a Dead Trans Teen|Parker Molloy|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This was no strange sight to the boy by that time, but it was awkward in the circumstances, for he had neither gun nor spear.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
To advance in such circumstances was out of the question, he therefore set about building a miniature hut of snow.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
I was four hours under these circumstances, expecting, and indeed wishing, every moment to be my last.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
It was depressing to think of going to bed in such circumstances with the yelling of an Arctic storm for a lullaby.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
Never before in human experience had such a display of kindly feeling and profound regret been witnessed in similar circumstances.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for circumstance

circumstance

/ (ˈsɜːkəmstəns) /

noun

(usually plural) a condition of time, place, etc, that accompanies or influences an event or condition

an incident or occurrence, esp a chance one

accessory information or detail

formal display or ceremony (archaic except in the phrase pomp and circumstance)

under no circumstances or in no circumstances in no case; never

under the circumstances because of conditions; this being the case

in bad circumstances (of a person) in a bad financial situation

in good circumstances (of a person) in a good financial situation

verb (tr)

to place in a particular condition or situation

obsolete to give in detail

Word Origin for circumstance

C13: from Old French circonstance, from Latin circumstantia, from circumstāre to stand around, from circum- + stāre to stand

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with circumstance

circumstance

see extenuating circumstances; under the circumstances.

circumstance

OTHER WORDS FOR circumstance

Idioms about circumstance

Origin of circumstance

Words related to circumstance

How to use circumstance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for circumstance

Word Origin for circumstance

Other Idioms and Phrases with circumstance