situation
noun
sit·u·a·tion
ˌsi-chə-ˈwā-shən 
1
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
In most situations — including both work and school situations — the demands of what comes next builds upon the skills that the prior assignment was designed to teach you, and the problem-solving abilities that were intended to grow inside of you.
—
Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 25 Mar. 2026
Some of that seems to have been an effort to shore up the money that providers like hospitals were already losing from Medicaid cuts, but given the situation, the state should reconsider.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
Trump’s decision to send ICE agents to the airports risks inflaming the situation, lawmakers have said.
—Kevin Freking, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
This means Palace have had more territory than the opposition across those games and, therefore, might have been expected to have more shots and more attacking situations, pinning the other team back more.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for situation
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 25 Mar. 2026
Some of that seems to have been an effort to shore up the money that providers like hospitals were already losing from Medicaid cuts, but given the situation, the state should reconsider.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
Trump’s decision to send ICE agents to the airports risks inflaming the situation, lawmakers have said.
—Kevin Freking, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
This means Palace have had more territory than the opposition across those games and, therefore, might have been expected to have more shots and more attacking situations, pinning the other team back more.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for situation
Cite this Entry
“Situation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/situation. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
situation
noun
sit·u·a·tion
ˌsich-ə-ˈwā-shən
1
a
: the way in which something is placed in relation to its surroundings
b
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
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
