situation
English meaning: Situation
Definition
The combination of circumstances at a given moment; a state of affairs.
Example
“The United States is in an awkward situation with debt default looming.”
Another example: “In a hostage situation, the police try to keep everyone calm.”
Usage — When, Where & How
A core everyday noun for a set of circumstances at a given time; neutral and extremely common, often modified by adjectives like 'difficult', 'awkward' or 'current'. Note the idiom 'no-win situation'.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Medieval Latin 'situatio', from Latin 'situs' (a position, site); the abstract 'state of affairs' sense developed in the 18th century.
Related Words
- worsened
- deteriorated
- worse
- complicated
- desperate
- resolved
- comedy
- improved
Common Collocations
- current situation
- difficult situation
- handle a situation
- awkward situation
- financial situation
- no-win situation
Word Forms
situation (sing.); situations (pl.)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B