situation

noun

sit·​u·​a·​tion ˌsi-chə-ˈwā-shən 

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

Synonyms

• ball game
• deal
• footing
• picture
• posture
• scene
• status
• story

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 whole situation was captured on Amazon’s Take Us Home documentary. —Caoimhe O'Neill, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025

The pet owner disagreed, arguing that the situation created an unnecessary fear response. —David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025

The cutter Active and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations boat crew launched boarding teams to assess the situation. —Greg Wehner, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025

Voltaire's announcement about elections and his take on the security situation got immediate pushback in Port-au-Prince, where other politicians cast doubt on the possibility of holding a vote when the capital is still overrun by gangs. —Jacqueline Charles Miami Herald (tns), arkansasonline.com, 2 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing situation

• situation comedy
• situation ethics
• took charge of the situation

Kids 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

: site sense 1

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 

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