DictionaryAI

situation

noun
sit-yoo-AY-shuhn/ˌsɪt.juːˈeɪ.ʃən/

Pluralsituations

6 meanings of situation

Practice

  1. 1
    circumstancesnouncountable
    The circumstances that exist at a particular time, either in general or for a particular person.

    The political situation grew more tense as the deadline approached.

    Managers reviewed the situation carefully before deciding how to proceed.

    UsagePeople are in a situation; adjectives often judge it: an awkward, difficult or tense situation.

    Note

    The everyday sense keeps a word for place inside it: Middle English situacioun goes back through Medieval Latin situatio, "position," to Latin situs, "a site." To describe the situation is to say where matters stand. In the American novelist Winston Churchill's The Celebrity (1897), a burst of laughter "relieved the situation."

  2. 2
    troublenouncountable
    A difficult or unpleasant set of circumstances; a problem that needs attention.

    The hostage situation lasted several hours before police intervened.

    Call security right away; we have a situation at the front gate.

    UsageWith no adjective it can signal trouble by itself: we have a situation. Common in compounds such as hostage situation.

    Similartrouble, problem, difficulty, predicament, jam

  3. 3
    locationnouncountable
    The place where something is located and the way it is positioned in relation to its surroundings.

    The cottage's situation on the cliff gave it sweeping views of the sea.

    Builders praised the situation of the house, sheltered from the wind.

    Similarplace

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    jobnounUKcountable
    A position of paid employment; a post, especially in domestic or salaried service.

    The young woman advertised for a situation as a governess.

    He held a comfortable situation in a merchant's office for many years.

    UsageOften a situation as a cook or governess; job advertisements appeared under the heading situations vacant.

    Similarposition, post, job, appointment

    Note

    Scrooge threatens his clerk with "losing your situation" in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol (1843), and in D. H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers (1913) a young man "got a situation in Nottingham." The plural could name the job advertisements themselves, the ones a man scans in a morning paper in the 1946 song Choo Choo Ch'Boogie.

  2. 5
    outfitnounslangcountable
    An outfit, garment, or overall look, especially a notably stylish or striking one.

    His outfit for the wedding, a lime-green suit with white loafers, was quite the situation.

    Her glittered, sky-high updo was a whole situation.

    UsageOften a whole situation or quite the situation; it can also end a description: a burgundy chiffon situation.

    Similarlook, outfit, getup, ensemble, fit

  3. 6
    nounUS
    An individual movie theater, considered as a single venue in film distribution.
    This survey includes all key situations (including Paramount Gulf Theaters) as well as suburban runs and small-town situations.
    1950, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Ways and Means, Revenue Revision of 1950: Hearings Before the Committee

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Origin

From Middle English situacioun, borrowed via Middle French situation from Medieval Latin situatio ('position'), which comes from situare ('to locate, place'), ultimately from Latin situs ('a site').

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

  • The stated borrowing chain and glosses agree with Wiktionary: Middle English situacioun, through Middle French situation and Medieval Latin situatio, from situare, ultimately Latin situs. en.wiktionary.org