Definition of positionnext
1
2
3
as in location
the area or space occupied by or intended for something I knew that someone had been in the room because the chair was out of its usual position

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in station
the place where someone is assigned to stand or remain the soldiers were commanded to hold their position on the hill at all costs

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
as in level
the placement of someone or something in relation to others in a vertical arrangement holds the lead position in the standings

Synonyms & Similar Words

position

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of position
Noun
Federal criminal charges often place a defendant in an extremely difficult position. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 11 Sep. 2026 Physical and behavioral signs are also presented as clues to the position, condition, and intentions of an enemy army. Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
At the top sit the one-off sculptural pieces, positioned as Tier Art. Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026 At the same time, the sport seems well-positioned to not only weather the blow, but perhaps even grow in its wake. Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for position
Recent Examples of Synonyms for position
Noun
  • Jeffrey Katzenberg, then a studio executive at Paramount Pictures, hand-picked the Happy Days star for the job, but at the time, Winkler had a bad feeling about accepting it.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
  • And Kyle was doing a great job of dialing up the right play calls.
    Vic Tafur, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The layer plays a vital role in absorbing the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, which can cause diseases such as skin cancer.
    Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The 2,000-pound bombs have been employed by Israel on hundreds of occasions in Gaza and Lebanon, playing a significant role in the death toll of those conflicts.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Despite its central location, the one-bedroom suite remains quiet because it’s situated at the back of the building.
    Morgan Goldberg, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Although its location and size have changed over the decades, organizers have continued emphasizing cultural dance, music and food.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • To reach the quarterfinals in New York, Zheng had to accept her newfound station in tennis — not to abandon her confidence for the sake of humility, but to combine her natural self-belief with acceptance of her reality and a new perspective.
    Ava Wallace, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Brent crude oil prices paused in early trading on Tuesday after gaining in the previous session following a drone attack on an oil pipeline pumping station in Russia that reduced flows from Kazakhstan.
    Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • One place where the one-hander is persisting is at the recreational level, where players search for consistency and where elite levels of power and precision are secondary to fun, comfort and longevity.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The shape of a Project Runway episode was discernible here — conversations with the designers about their inspirations, an in-depth look at their design process, backstage time at the runway shows — but the execution was Temu level.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • As Pourrain recalls, he was placed inside an unmarked van, with his hands and ankles handcuffed.
    Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Two of the players, Zxavian Harris and Dae'Quan Wright, have been participating in team activities, but were not placed on the roster in advance of last Saturday's 51-10 season-opening victory over Clemson.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Historically, that’s something that Salt Lake in particular has been good at showcasing given the intense situations that have bonded a group that, save for the felon, have almost all been on this ride since the beginning.
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • After monitoring the situation, park managers found the bear unusually difficult to scare away and said its escalating proximity to humans posed a safety risk that was deemed unacceptable, according to the national park.
    Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • But more is not a purpose, and scale is not automatically success.
    Michelle De Almeida, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The language of exploitation and cultural extraction gave the battle a purpose that seemed to extend well beyond either rapper.
    Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Position.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/position. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on position

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster