situation */*/*/

UK [ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃ(ə)n] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "situation":
singular situation plural situations

Metaphor:

Situations and states are like places. A pleasant/happy situation is safe, like your home, and a bad situation is like an unpleasant or dangerous place. We are in a situation where there are no real winners. ♦ In this work, the author is back on familiar territory. ♦ It was time for her to leave the family nest. ♦ I've felt at home since the moment I started work here. ♦ He carved out a niche for himself within the company. ♦ This is right up my street/alley. ♦ The park is a haven for tired shoppers. ♦ This town has always been a cultural desert. ♦ That part of the city is nothing but a concrete jungle. ♦ He spent many years in the political wilderness. ♦ This is a potential minefield for beginners. ♦ We have a very rocky road to travel. ♦ I've been caught between a rock and a hard place. ♦ We were left high and dry when they withdrew our funding. ♦ He's in a tight spot. ➡ confused, difficulty, life, problem, strange

1) the set of conditions that exist at a particular time in a particular place

If the situation had been different, their plan might have succeeded.

concern about the current situation south of the border

as/if/when the situation arises (= when it happens):

We'll have to deal with overcrowding as the situation arises.

an economic/political/financial situation:

The country is facing a very difficult economic situation.

social situation (= any event where you talk to or meet a lot of people):

Social situations always make me nervous.

someone's situation (= the conditions that affect their life at a particular time):

What prospects are there for a person in his situation?

2) the kind of area that surrounds a place, used especially by people who sell houses or property. A more usual word is location

The property has a magnificent situation in the mountains.

3) formal a job