situation

noun

sit·​u·​a·​tion ˌsi-chə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce situation (audio)
1
a
: the way in which something is placed in relation to its surroundings
b
: site
c
archaic : locality
2
archaic : state of health
3
a
: position or place of employment : post entry 6, job
b
: position in life : status
4
: position with respect to conditions and circumstances
5
a
: relative position or combination of circumstances at a certain moment
b
: a critical, trying, or unusual state of affairs : problem
c
: a particular or striking complex of affairs at a stage in the action of a narrative or drama

Examples of situation in a Sentence

He's in a bad situation. You may find yourself in a situation where you lose control of the vehicle. How is your financial situation? I'm worried about the current political situation. My parents are retired and in a good situation. I have a situation that I have to deal with at the moment. The house is in a wonderful situation overlooking the valley.
Recent Examples on the Web The backward situation is going to increase until a moment when no one knows what will happen. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 The situation is stable, as long as no one oversteps the boundaries of a delicate agreement. Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 More crew may be deployed or additional days may be assigned depending on how the situation develops. Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 In November, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Kardashian is attached to star in the comedy movie The Fifth Wheel from writers Paula Pell and Janine Brito, which Netflix landed in a competitive situation. Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2024 The chaos and carnage only underscores how desperate the situation across Gaza is. CBS News, 3 Mar. 2024 The team will sign Harry Giles III, creating the roster spot by waiving Dylan Windler, according to people with knowledge of the situation who are not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Your buyer’s agent must learn who the best local loan and insurance brokers are for your situation. Pat Kapowich, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024 Advice on life’s trickiest situations and moral dilemmas from the philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah. Eric Kim, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'situation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of situation was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near situation

Cite this Entry

“Situation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/situation. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

situation

noun
sit·​u·​a·​tion ˌsich-ə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce situation (audio)
1
a
: the way in which something is placed in relation to its surroundings
2
a
: a position or place of employment : post, job
b
: position in life : status
3
: position with respect to conditions and circumstances
the military situation
4
: relative position or combination of events and conditions at a particular moment

Medical Definition

situation

noun
sit·​u·​a·​tion ˌsich-ə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce situation (audio)
1
: the way in which something is placed in relation to its surroundings
2
: the total set of physical, social, and psychocultural factors that act upon an individual in orienting and conditioning his or her behavior
3
: relative position or combination of circumstances at a particular moment

More from Merriam-Webster on situation

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