condition

noun con·di·tion \ kən-ˈdi-shən \

Updated on: 17 Mar 2018

Definition of condition

1 a : a premise upon which the fulfillment of an agreement depends : stipulation

b obsolete : covenant

c : a provision making the effect of a legal instrument contingent upon an uncertain event

must meet the terms and conditions of the contract

; also : the event itself

2 : something essential to the appearance or occurrence of something else : prerequisite: such as

a : an environmental requirement

Available oxygen is an essential condition for animal life.

b : the clause of a conditional sentence

3 a : a restricting or modifying factor : qualification

b : an unsatisfactory academic grade that may be raised by doing additional work

4 a : a state of being

the human condition

b : social status : rank

c : a usually defective state of health

a serious heart condition

d : a state of physical fitness or readiness for use

The car was in good condition.

exercising to get into condition

e conditions plural : attendant circumstances

poor living conditions

safe working conditions

5 a obsolete : temper of mind

b obsolete : trait

c conditions plural, archaic : manners, ways

See condition defined for English-language learners

See condition defined for kids

Examples of condition in a Sentence

Happiness is the state or condition of being happy.
Their weakened condition makes them more likely to get sick.

Recent Examples of condition from the Web

The condition of Amazon’s warehouse workers stands in remarkable contrast to the treatment afforded to its customers.

— jacob silverman, Longreads, "The Billionaire Philanthropist," 13 Mar. 2018
Consuming high amounts of dietary fat with minimal carbohydrates forces the body into ketosis, a natural, physiological condition that occurs when there is not enough glucose (carbs) to break down for energy, causing the body to turn to fat as fuel.

— kimberly mugler, rd, ldn, Philly.com, "A dietitian weighs in on the Ketogenic diet for weight loss," 13 Mar. 2018
His lawyer Tony Schwartz noted in a sentencing memo that O'Shaughnessy led a crime-free life until the refuge standoff and has followed the conditions of his release pending sentencing.

— maxine bernstein, OregonLive.com, "Oregon refuge occupier Joseph O'Shaughnessy next to face sentencing," 12 Mar. 2018
Researchers know that a condition as complicated as Alzheimer’s can’t be traced to a single or simple cause.

— Time, "Being Sleepy During the Day Could Be a Warning Sign of Alzheimer’s," 12 Mar. 2018
Another 911 caller said that the driver of a Chevrolet Malibu may have experienced a medical condition before crashing into the other cars, records show.

— justin madden, cleveland.com, "5-year-old, teenage girl shot in Cleveland," 12 Mar. 2018
Many women are unhappy with their bodies—in Western consumer society, to be unhappy with some aspect of your body might almost be thought of as a normative condition of womanhood.

— jane mayer, The New Yorker, "The Story of a Trans Woman’s Face," 12 Mar. 2018
Transparency should be a condition of working with the Municipality.

— author: charles wohlforth | opinion, Anchorage Daily News, "Manufactured doubts obscure a no-brainer on ML&P sale," 11 Mar. 2018
And those will be a condition through, through the meeting.

— NBC News, "Meet the Press - March 11, 2018," 11 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'condition.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of condition

Middle English condicion, from Anglo-French, from Latin condicion-, condicio terms of agreement, condition, from condicere to agree, from com- + dicere to say, determine — more at diction

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

condition Synonyms

condition

verb

Definition of condition

conditioned; conditioning play \kən-ˈdi-sh(ə-)niŋ\

intransitive verb

archaic : to make stipulations

transitive verb

1 : to agree by stipulating

2 : to make conditional

3 a : to put into a proper state for work or use

b : air-condition

4 : to give a grade of condition to

5 a : to adapt, modify, or mold so as to conform to an environing culture

traditional beliefs conditioning a child's attitude

b : to modify so that an act or response previously associated with one stimulus becomes associated with another

—

conditionable

play \kən-ˈdi-sh(ə-)nə-bəl\ adjective

See condition defined for English-language learners

Examples of condition in a Sentence

the length of time that it takes for runners to condition their bodies for a marathon
an immigrant family that must condition its traditional attitudes regarding child rearing to the realities of modern American life

Recent Examples of condition from the Web

Memberships include a commemorative steel mug, entry to the (air-conditioned!) lodge through the weekend and 15 tickets worth $1 each to be used on food and drink inside the lodge.

— bailey loosemore, The Courier-Journal, "It's not all music at these Louisville festivals. Bourbon's also taking center stage.," 6 Mar. 2018
Two tunnels will be fully enclosed and air conditioned. » Agility field.

— tom haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Brewers release details of Maryvale Baseball Park renovation," 21 Feb. 2018
They are more conditioned to the grind of repetitive high-level games than a roster of more talented but younger college or junior players would be, and discipline is by definition less of a problem too.

— sam donnellon, Philly.com, "Winter Olympics: Bensalem native and Olympian Ryan Gunderson has a long, strange trip," 9 Feb. 2018
Characters we are conditioned to believe are allies, turn out to be enemies.

— david wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle, "Cyberpunk masterpiece feeds on ‘Altered’ states," 29 Jan. 2018
We have been conditioned to think that workouts happen in a certain place, or have to last for an extended period of time, in order to have a benefit.

— emily abbate, GQ, "7 Morning Workout Tips for People Who Don't Do Mornings," 19 Feb. 2018
This method of exercise has grown in popularity due to its ability to effectively strengthen and condition the body in less time.

— Philly.com, "4 fit tips to boost your heart health," 13 Feb. 2018
Image The government is discussing reopening the stations with the media outlets, conditioning a return to the air on their agreement to coverage restrictions, according to an official with knowledge of the confidential conversations.

— New York Times, "Kenya’s About-Face: Fear for Democracy as Dissent Is Muzzled," 4 Feb. 2018
Appearance is overrated, a mere sensation in the eyes (or brain) produced by shape, color and motion and conditioned a good deal by society and association.

— david roper, idahostatesman, "We are as God made us — beautiful inside and out | Idaho Statesman," 26 Jan. 2018

Origin and Etymology of condition

see ¹condition

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

condition Synonyms

Synonyms

season, train;

Antonyms

decondition;

Related Words

fit, habilitate, prepare, ready;

acclimate, acclimatize, accommodate, adapt, adjust, break in, orient, orientate, shape;

accustom, familiarize, habituate, naturalize;

fortify, harden, inure, season, shape up, steel, strengthen, toughen;

CONDITION Defined for English Language Learners

condition

noun

Definition of condition for English Language Learners

: a way of living or existing
: the state in which something exists : the physical state of something
: the physical or mental state of a person or animal

condition

verb

Definition of condition for English Language Learners

: to train or influence (a person or an animal) to do something or to think or behave in a certain way because of a repeated experience
: to make (something, such as hair or leather) softer and less dry by applying a liquid

CONDITION Defined for Kids

condition

noun con·di·tion \ kən-ˈdi-shən \

Definition of condition for Students

1 : state of physical fitness or readiness for use

The car was in good condition.

2 : something agreed upon or necessary if some other thing is to take place

You can come on the condition that you behave.

3 conditions plural : the way things are at a certain time or in a certain place

His body had adjusted … to the heat and harsh conditions.
—Louis Sachar, Holes

4 : state of being

water in a frozen condition

5 : situation in life

people of humble condition

condition

verb

Definition of condition for Students

conditioned; conditioning

1 : to put into the proper or desired state

2 : to change the habits of usually by training

Medical Dictionary

condition

noun con·di·tion \ kən-ˈdish-ən \

medical Definition of condition

1 : something essential to the appearance or occurrence of something else; especially : an environmental requirement

available oxygen is an essential condition for animal life

2 a : a usually defective state of health

a serious heart condition

b : a state of physical fitness

exercising to get into condition

condition

transitive verb

medical Definition of condition

conditioned; conditioning play \-ˈdish-(ə-)niŋ\

: to cause to undergo a change so that an act or response previously associated with one stimulus becomes associated with another

—

conditionable

play \-(ə-)nə-bəl\ adjective

Law Dictionary

condition

noun con·di·tion

legal Definition of condition

1 : an uncertain future act or event whose occurrence or nonoccurrence determines the rights or obligations of a party under a legal instrument and especially a contract; also : a clause in the instrument describing the act or event and its effect

— concurrent condition

: a condition that is to be fulfilled by one party at the same time that a mutual condition is to be fulfilled by another party

— condition implied in law

: constructive condition in this entry

— condition precedent \-pri-ˈsēd-ᵊnt, -ˈpre-sə-dənt\

: a condition that must be fulfilled before performance under a contract can become due, an estate can vest, or a right can become effective

— condition subsequent

: a condition whose fulfillment defeats or modifies an estate or right already in effect or vested or discharges an already existing duty under a contract

— constructive condition

: a condition created by operation of law — called also condition implied in law; compare express condition in this entry

— express condition

: a condition created and explicitly stated by the parties to a contract — compare constructive condition in this entry

— potestative condition \ˈpō-tes-ˌtā-tiv\

in the civil law of Louisiana : a condition whose fulfillment was completely within the power of the obligated party

Note: Article 1770 of the Louisiana Civil Code eliminates the term potestative condition, stating that suspensive conditions which depend on the whim of the obligated party make the obligation null, and that resolutory conditions which depend on the will of the obligated party must be fulfilled in good faith.

— resolutory condition \ˌre-zə-ˈlü-tə-rē-, ri-ˈzäl-yu̇-ˌtōr-ē-\

in the civil law of Louisiana : a condition that upon fulfillment terminates an already enforceable obligation and entitles the parties to be restored to their original positions — see also potestative condition in this entry

— suspensive condition

in the civil law of Louisiana : a condition which must be fulfilled before an obligation is enforceable — see also potestative condition in this entry

2 : a state of being

a latent defective condition

3 : one of the rights or obligations of the policyholder or the insurer set forth in an insurance policy

—

conditional

adjective

—

conditionally

adverb

condition

transitive verb

legal Definition of condition

conditioned; conditioning

: to make subject to conditions

the sale…was orally conditioned upon approval of the patent
—J. D. Calamari and J. M. Perillo

Learn More about condition

See words that rhyme with condition Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for condition Spanish Central: Translation of condition Nglish: Translation of condition for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of condition for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about condition

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condition

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Origin and Etymology of condition

condition Synonyms

Synonyms

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condition

Definition of condition

conditionable

Examples of condition in a Sentence

Recent Examples of condition from the Web

Origin and Etymology of condition

condition Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

CONDITION Defined for English Language Learners

condition

Definition of condition for English Language Learners

condition

Definition of condition for English Language Learners

CONDITION Defined for Kids

condition

Definition of condition for Students

condition

Definition of condition for Students

Medical Dictionary

condition

medical Definition of condition

condition

medical Definition of condition

conditionable

Law Dictionary

condition

legal Definition of condition

conditional

conditionally

condition

legal Definition of condition

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