condition
Americannoun
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conditions
plural
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a particular mode of being of a person or thing; existing state; situation with respect to circumstances.
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state of health.
He was reported to be in critical condition.
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fit or requisite state.
to be out of condition;
to be in no condition to run.
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social position.
in a lowly condition.
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a restricting, limiting, or modifying circumstance.
It can happen only under certain conditions.
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a circumstance indispensable to some result; prerequisite; that on which something else is contingent.
conditions of acceptance.
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Usually conditions. existing circumstances.
poor living conditions.
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something demanded as an essential part of an agreement; provision; stipulation.
He accepted on one condition.
- Synonyms:
- proviso, requirement
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Law.
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a stipulation in an agreement or instrument transferring property that provides for a change consequent on the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a stated event.
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the event upon which this stipulation depends.
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Informal. an abnormal or diseased state of part of the body.
heart condition;
skin condition.
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U.S. Education.
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a requirement imposed on a college student who fails to reach the prescribed standard in a course at the end of the regular period of instruction, permitting credit to be established by later performance.
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the course or subject to which the requirement is attached.
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Grammar. protasis.
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Logic. the antecedent of a conditional proposition.
verb (used with object)
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to put in a fit or proper state.
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to accustom or inure.
to condition oneself to the cold.
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to air-condition.
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to form or be a condition of; determine, limit, or restrict as a condition.
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to subject to particular conditions or circumstances.
Her studies conditioned her for her job.
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U.S. Education. to impose a condition on (a student).
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to test (a commodity) to ascertain its condition.
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to make (something) a condition; stipulate.
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Psychology. to establish a conditioned response in (a subject).
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Textiles.
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to test (fibers or fabrics) for the presence of moisture or other foreign matter.
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to replace moisture lost from (fibers or fabrics) in manipulation or manufacture.
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verb (used without object)
idioms
noun
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a particular state of being or existence; situation with respect to circumstances
the human condition
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something that limits or restricts something else; a qualification
you may enter only under certain conditions
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(plural) external or existing circumstances
conditions were right for a takeover
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state of health or physical fitness, esp good health (esp in the phrases in condition, out of condition )
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an ailment or physical disability
a heart condition
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something indispensable to the existence of something else
your happiness is a condition of mine
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something required as part of an agreement or pact; terms
the conditions of the lease are set out
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law
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a declaration or provision in a will, contract, etc, that makes some right or liability contingent upon the happening of some event
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the event itself
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logic a statement whose truth is either required for the truth of a given statement (a necessary condition ) or sufficient to guarantee the truth of the given statement (a sufficient condition ) See sufficient necessary
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maths logic a presupposition, esp a restriction on the domain of quantification, indispensable to the proof of a theorem and stated as part of it
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statistics short for experimental condition
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rank, status, or position in life
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(conjunction) provided that
verb
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psychol
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to alter the response of (a person or animal) to a particular stimulus or situation
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to establish a conditioned response in (a person or animal)
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to put into a fit condition or state
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to improve the condition of (one's hair) by use of special cosmetics
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to accustom or inure
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to subject to a condition
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archaic (intr) to make conditions
Synonym Usage
See state.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of condition
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English condicioun, from Old French, from Latin condiciōn-, stem of condiciō “agreement,” equivalent to con- con- + dic-, stem of dīcere “to say” + -iō -ion
Explanation
A medical problem or illness can be referred to as a condition. Your skin condition isn't contagious, but it still looks bad — scabby and scaly. You won't even need makeup to dress as a zombie for Halloween. A condition is also a requirement or prerequisite for something. As a condition of your acceptance to college, you may have to maintain certain grades and do well on a standardized test. Condition can refer as well to the state or quality of something. The condition of your apartment building might be so appalling that your mail carrier has stopped delivering your mail.
Vocabulary lists containing condition
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 5
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The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
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The Emancipation Proclamation (1862)
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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:
He’s just done it more quietly, without attaching the force of his weird personality as a condition.
From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026
On Friday, the Pope's doctors said tests had shown "a steady improvement in his general condition" since his procedure.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
"The school owner has been detained," the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to media.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Two people were in critical condition, San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Brian Raines told reporters at the scene.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Because of their medical condition, patients are not allowed to move freely.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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But forecasters say the most dangerous conditions could be behind us.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
They said higher energy prices and tighter financial conditions could push up operating costs and interest rates, adding to doubts over "the long-term profitability and viability of AI business models".
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
Deep Atlantic lows responsible for more turbulent conditions have been steered away by dominant areas of high pressure.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
He said Stelco President Paul Simon wrote to Joly to convey that conditions were getting worse and that the company would have to concentrate on hot-roll production.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
It seemed like a long time to work without pay, especially under such conditions, though a calf was worth a lot of money.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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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.