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Definitions

circumstance

[sur-kuhm-stans, -stuhns] / ˈsɜr kəmˌstæns, -stəns /
NOUN
situation, condition
Synonyms
STRONGEST
accident action case cause coincidence crisis detail event fact factor fate incident matter occurrence status thing time
STRONG
adjunct affair article concern contingency destiny doom element episode exigency feature fortuity go happening happenstance intervention item juncture kismet lot occasion particular phase place point portion proviso respect scene stipulation supervention
WEAK
Moira where it's at
Antonyms
STRONGEST
plan
STRONG
whole

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And since losses from some of those shorts could be unlimited, the covering of those positions could trigger a stampede of buying, a circumstance known on Wall Street as a short squeeze.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

“Regardless of your economic circumstance, everybody wants to keep their cellphone on.”

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Jo Boydell, CEO of Travelodge, said: "I apologise to all of those people that have had a frightening circumstance."

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

If nothing he has done, at least so far, is likely to rival the outbreak of World War I, that’s the result of chance and circumstance more than anything else.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

I pointed out this circumstance to Mrs. Fairfax, who was standing at the window with me—

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë