situation

American  

[sich-oo-ey-shuhn] / ˌsɪtʃ uˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

situations plural

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

Synonym Usage

See state. See position.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• situational
  adjective
• situationally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• situations
  plural

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

"For years, Europeans aided and abided flagrant ethical flaws in the international football federation," said Bruen, head of the Global Situation Room strategic communications firm.

From Barron's • Jul. 6, 2026

Ahead of the Situation Room meeting with top aides on Friday, Trump suggested that he was leaning towards accepting the deal.

From BBC • May 31, 2026

On his Truth Social site, Trump said he had summoned his top aides to the White House Situation Room to decide on the deal.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was meeting in the White House Situation Room “to make a final determination” on an agreement.

From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026

And, as Washington later remarked, Boudinot had “better opportunities than most other officers in the army, to obtain knowledge of the Enemy’s Situation, motions and...designs.”

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen

Related Words

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