situation

American  

[sich-oo-ey-shuhn] / ˌsɪtʃ uˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. manner of being situated; location or position with reference to environment.

   The situation of the house allowed for a beautiful view.

   Synonyms:

   site

2. a place or locality.

3. condition; case; plight.

   He is in a desperate situation.

4. the state of affairs; combination of circumstances.

   The present international situation is dangerous.

5. a position or post of employment; job.

6. a state of affairs of special or critical significance in the course of a play, novel, etc.

7. Sociology. the aggregate of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors acting on an individual or group to condition behavioral patterns.

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situation British  

/ ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃən /

noun

1. physical placement, esp with regard to the surroundings

2. 1. state of affairs; combination of circumstances

   2. a complex or critical state of affairs in a novel, play, etc

3. social or financial status, position, or circumstances

4. a position of employment; post

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situation Idioms  

1. see no-win situation.

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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

Related Words

See state. See position.

Other Word Forms

• situational
  adjective
• situationally
  adverb

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.

Example Sentences

To that end, the charity has turned to mental health professionals to help provide guidelines and a webinar to guide seafarers to cope with the stress of the situation.

From Barron's • May 9, 2026

"This isn't an easy situation for anyone," Dore noted.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

McVay later explained he was attempting to be respectful of Stafford’s status as the team leader, and that a personal situation also had affected his demeanor on draft night.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026

I do have cash available to assist, but given her situation, I need to find a way to help her without affecting her benefits and while minimizing any tax-related consequences.

From MarketWatch • May 9, 2026

Guilt rises in me hard and fast and I feel my head bobbing up and down reflexively, trying to diffuse a situation that’s going downhill fast.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• case
• condition
• place
• plight
• position
• scene