1
as in destinies
a state or end that seemingly has been decided beforehand
the condemned murderer seemed indifferent to his circumstance
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in things
something that happens
due to unexpected circumstances, the test will be postponed
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in luck
the uncertain course of events
I was a victim of circumstance, for nothing that I could have done would have made a difference
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of circumstances
In some circumstances, moral suasion can also be effective.
—
John Cassidy, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Homicide detectives are working to determine the circumstances that led to the shooting.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Whereas waterfalls present fish obstacles in rising above their circumstances, five orders and eight families, from South America, Asia, and Australia, have overcome the impossible.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 5 Apr. 2026
Under these circumstances, legal observers say that any pardon is likely to face a significant Supreme Court challenge.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Police gave no details about the motive or circumstances surrounding the shooting death and did not release the victim’s identity.
—Anna Bauman, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Apr. 2026
Broward County detectives continue to investigate the circumstances of the incident.
—David Fleshler, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2026
There was circumstances in that race at the state legislative level not involved with Congress.
—ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
Chorney assessed his circumstances and didn’t see school as an option.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
John Cassidy, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Homicide detectives are working to determine the circumstances that led to the shooting.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Whereas waterfalls present fish obstacles in rising above their circumstances, five orders and eight families, from South America, Asia, and Australia, have overcome the impossible.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 5 Apr. 2026
Under these circumstances, legal observers say that any pardon is likely to face a significant Supreme Court challenge.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Police gave no details about the motive or circumstances surrounding the shooting death and did not release the victim’s identity.
—Anna Bauman, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Apr. 2026
Broward County detectives continue to investigate the circumstances of the incident.
—David Fleshler, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2026
There was circumstances in that race at the state legislative level not involved with Congress.
—ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
Chorney assessed his circumstances and didn’t see school as an option.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumstances
Noun
-
But Calle, like any writer, sketches her characters and frames their destinies.—
Elisa Wouk Almino
Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Paris Club, an informal forum of representatives from creditor countries largely in the Global North, has steered the destinies of nations in financial peril, restructuring over half a trillion dollars in sovereign debt since its first meeting in 1956.—
Sven van Mourik,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And once on the other side of those things, Christy Martin began living a different kind of double life.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The implication is that she got distracted and failed to notice the most important things.—
Brandy Jensen,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In recent months, Enrique Torres, an undergraduate student at the University of Mount Olive in North Carolina, has submitted about two dozen applications for an internship, with no luck.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
-
With better injury luck and tweaks on defense, a return to form next season is a good bet.—
Greg Cote
April 6,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mantello has chosen to have different actors play the young Biff (Joaquin Consuelos) and the young Happy (Jake Termine), sharpening the contrast between their potential and their fates.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Dahl’s books are fanciful and imaginative, but also dark, cynical, and mean (and, unfortunately, often reflected his real-life ugliness), spinning stories in which gruesome and unpleasant fates befell rotten kids, and adults were frequently selfish, cruel, and not to be trusted.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hart will, however, address the pair of 20-point comebacks the Knicks pulled off en route to the conference finals for the first time in a quarter-century, a sequence of bizarre events many called a fluke.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
According to Fox 11, LA28 currently states that 30% of its remaining tickets are under $200, but many potential ticket buyers have reported that larger events—including the opening and closing ceremonies — only have premium seats available, which often cost upwards of $5,000.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Oilers scored on all three power-play chances in the best performance for that unit since Leon Draisaitl went down with a lower-body injury on March 15 after scoring with the man advantage early in that game.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In fact, only about four percent of them begin with gasoline igniting, so the chances of starting a fire at the gas station are extremely slim.—
Laura Kiniry,
Popular Science,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In one of the incidents, the suspects displayed a black handgun, police said.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Months after federal immigration agents shot and killed two people and wounded a third in separate incidents during the ICE surge in Minneapolis, the status of the federal investigations into the three shootings remains an open question.—
Meg Anderson,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Boating accidents are common in India, where many vessels are overcrowded and have inadequate safety equipment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Knowles keeps the atmosphere leaden when the story surfaces in the present, in which Willy is 63, fraying with disappointment and banged up from several car crashes out on his long runs — events that his family is starting to fear aren’t accidents.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circumstances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumstances. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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