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situation

noun
sit¡​u¡​a¡​tion | \ ˌsi-chə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce situation (audio) \

Definition of situation

1a : the way in which something is placed in relation to its surroundings
b : site
c archaic : locality
2 archaic : state of health
3a : position or place of employment : post, job
b : position in life : status
4 : position with respect to conditions and circumstances
5a : 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
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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.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 The situation is even worse in fields where women are in the minority at the graduate level. — John Timmer, Wired, "Scientists Avoid Bias When They Know They're Being Tested," 1 Sep. 2019 That situation is not an exact parallel to current events. — Laura Beers, The Conversation, "Why the queen said yes to Boris Johnson’s request to suspend Parliament," 29 Aug. 2019 The investigation is ongoing, and the situation is still very fluid. — Carol Robinson | [email protected], al, "Man killed by Alabama police was mentally ill and police knew, daughter says," 29 Aug. 2019 University officials declined to say whether the situation was a ransomware attack, saying the matter is still under investigation. — Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, "A week after cyberattack, Regis University makes some progress to restore normalcy," 29 Aug. 2019 The situation is a reflection of an unwritten rule of Britain’s political system: The throne remains removed from politics. — Stephen Castle, New York Times, "Boris Johnson’s ‘Explosive’ Move to Get His Way on Brexit: Suspend Parliament," 28 Aug. 2019 On the economy, 37% of voters said conditions were worsening, with just 31% saying the situation is getting better -- a troubling sign for Trump, who has made taking credit for a strong economy a centerpiece of his campaign messaging. — Kathleen Hunter, Fortune, "Poll Shows All Five Top 2020 Democrats Beating Trump," 28 Aug. 2019 The situation is even worse for the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau and Karipuna, whose lands in western RondĂ´nia have been targeted by land prospectors and ranchers. — Felipe Fittipaldi, National Geographic, "Inside the faltering fight against illegal Amazon logging," 28 Aug. 2019 The situation is even worse in fields where women are in the minority at the graduate level. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Scientists avoid gender bias when they know they’re being tested for bias," 27 Aug. 2019

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

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First Known Use of situation

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

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More Definitions for situation

situation

noun
How to pronounce situation (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of situation

: all of the facts, conditions, and events that affect someone or something at a particular time and in a particular place
: an important or sudden problem
somewhat formal + old-fashioned : a place or location

See the full definition for situation in the English Language Learners Dictionary

situation

noun
sit¡​u¡​a¡​tion | \ ˌsi-chə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce situation (audio) \

Kids Definition of situation

1 : the combination of surrounding conditions The situation at school is better than it was.
2 : a state of affairs that is urgent or difficult We have a situation to deal with.
3 : place entry 1 sense 5
4 : position or place of employment : job

situation

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

Medical Definition of situation

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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More from Merriam-Webster on situation

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with situation

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for situation

Spanish Central: Translation of situation

Nglish: Translation of situation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of situation for Arabic Speakers

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