situation

UK: /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃ^ən/ US: /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃən/ ,(sich′o̅o̅ ā′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sit•u•a•tion /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃən/   n. [countable]

1. condition;
   case;
   plight:
   He's in a desperate situation.
2. the state of affairs;
   combination of circumstances:
   The international situation is grave.
3. a position or post of working;
   job.
4. location or position with reference to what is around:
   a city in a beautiful situation.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sit•u•a•tion  (sich′o̅o̅ ā′shən), n. 

1. manner of being situated;
   location or position with reference to environment:
   The situation of the house allowed for a beautiful view.
2. a place or locality.
3. condition;
   case;
   plight:
   He is in a desperate situation.
4. the state of affairs;
   combination of circumstances:
   The present international situation is dangerous.
5. a position or post of employment;
   job.
6. a state of affairs of special or critical significance in the course of a play, novel, etc.
7. Sociology the aggregate of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors acting on an individual or group to condition behavioral patterns.

• Medieval Latin situātiōn- (stem of situātiō). See situate, -ion
• 1480–90

sit′u•a′tion•al, adj. 
sit′u•a′tion•al•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. site.
• 4. See state. 
• 5. See position. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

situation / ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃən/ noun

1. physical placement, esp with regard to the surroundings
2. state of affairs; combination of circumstances
3. a complex or critical state of affairs in a novel, play, etc
4. social or financial status, position, or circumstances
5. a position of employment; post

ˌsituˈational adjective

USAGE
Situation is often used in contexts in which it is redundant or imprecise. Typical examples are: the company is in a crisis situation or people in a job situation. In the first example, situation does not add to the meaning and should be omitted. In the second example, it would be clearer and more concise to substitute a phrase such as people at work