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

Now she wants to speak out to help others in a similar situation.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Experts say the current situation is likely to produce long-term solutions as well.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

Uncertainty over the situation keeps the dollar from extending Tuesday’s losses with investors awaiting more concrete progress toward a peace deal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Like if Thomas Jefferson or James Madison were here, how would they respond to the whole situation?

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

If I could do anything else to help my situation, our situation, now was the time.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

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