situation

noun

sit·​u·​a·​tion ˌsi-chə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce situation (audio)
Synonyms of situation
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 of situation

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
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.
Unfortunately, South Korea’s situation is becoming more precarious — and thus conflict more likely — as Kim’s confidence grows and resolve weakens in Seoul and Washington. — Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026 Officers were dispatched to a situation where they were pinned down by gunfire while three children were held hostage by a gunman. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026 The front-page story Monday noted that lawmakers had before them several bills to address the situation. — Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026 The technology could be particularly useful in situations where drones operate frequently or perform missions with limited time for detailed manual checks. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for situation

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of situation was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing situation

Rhymes for situation

See All Rhymes for situation

Browse Nearby Words

situated
situation
situational
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Situation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/situation. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

situation

noun
sit·​u·​a·​tion ˌsich-ə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce situation (audio)
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 How to pronounce situation (audio)
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
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