Circumstance definition and meaning - Collins Dictionary

circumstance in American English · 1. a fact or event accompanying another, either incidentally or as an essential condition or determining factor. circumstances ... EnglishDictionary Thesaurus WordLists Grammar EnglishEasyLearningGrammar GrammarPatterns EnglishUsage TeachingResources VideoGuides Conjugations Sentences Video LearnEnglish Videopronunciations Quiz Englishgrammar Englishcollocations Englishconfusables Englishidioms Englishusage Thematicwordlists English French German Italian Spanish Portuguese Hindi Chinese Korean Japanese Definitionof 'circumstance'    WordFrequency Share× Credits× circumstance (sɜːʳkəmstæns ) Wordforms:pluralcircumstances 1. countablenoun[usuallyplural] Thecircumstancesofaparticularsituationaretheconditionswhichaffectwhathappens. Recentopinionpollsshowthat60percentfavorabortionundercertaincircumstances. Thestrategywastoodangerousintheexplosivecircumstancesofthetimes. Iwishwecouldhavemetunderhappiercircumstances. 2. pluralnoun Thecircumstancesofaneventarethewayithappenedorthecausesofit. I'mmakinginquiriesaboutthecircumstancesofMaryDean'smurder.[+of] Hundredsofpeoplehaddiedthereinterriblecircumstancesduringandafterthe revolution. Synonyms:detail,fact,event,particular MoreSynonymsofcircumstance 3. pluralnoun[usuallywithposs] Yourcircumstancesaretheconditionsofyourlife,especiallytheamountofmoneythatyouhave. ...helpandsupportforthesinglemother,whateverhercircumstances. Iwouldn'thaveexpectedtofindyouinsuchcomfortablecircumstances. Synonyms:situation,state,means,position MoreSynonymsofcircumstance 4. uncountablenoun Eventsandsituationswhichcannotbecontrolledaresometimesreferredtoascircumstance. Therearethose,youknow,who,bycircumstance,enduphomeless. Youmightsaythatwe'vebeenvictimsofcircumstance. 5. Seeunderanycircumstances/underanycircumstance 6. Seeunderthecircumstances/inthecircumstances MoreSynonymsofcircumstance COBUILDAdvancedEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Video:pronunciationof circumstance Youmayalsolike EnglishQuizConfusables Synonymsof'circumstance' LanguageLover'sBlog FrenchTranslationof'circumstance' Translateyourtext PronunciationPlaylists Wordoftheday:'greenfingers' HindiTranslationof'circumstance' NEWfromCollins! EnglishGrammar CollinsApps WordFrequency circumstanceinBritishEnglish (ˈsɜːkəmstəns ) noun1. (usuallyplural) aconditionoftime,place,etc,thataccompaniesorinfluencesaneventorcondition 2. anincidentoroccurrence,espachanceone 3. accessoryinformationordetail 4. formaldisplayorceremony(archaicexceptinthephrasepompandcircumstance) 5. Seeundernocircumstances 6. Seeunderthecircumstances 7. Seeinbadcircumstances 8. Seeingoodcircumstances verb(transitive)9. toplaceinaparticularconditionorsituation 10. obsolete togiveindetail CollinsEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers WordoriginC13:fromOldFrenchcirconstance,fromLatincircumstantia,fromcircumstāretostandaround,fromcircum-+stāretostand WordFrequency circumstanceinAmericanEnglish (ˈsɜrkəmˌstæns ;ˈsɜrkəmstəns ) noun1.  afactoreventaccompanyinganother,eitherincidentallyorasanessentialconditionordeterminingfactor circumstancesaltercases 2.  anyhappeningorfact;event 3. [pl.] conditionssurroundingandaffectingaperson,esp.financialconditions incomfortablecircumstances 4.  chance;luck circumstancewouldhaveitso 5.  ceremony;show pompandcircumstance 6. a.  accompanyingorsurroundingdetail b.  fullnessofdetail verbtransitiveWordforms:ˈcircumˌstancedorˈcircumˌstancing7.  toplaceincertaincircumstances SIMILARWORDS: ocˈcurrence Idioms: undernocircumstances underthecircumstances Webster’sNewWorldCollegeDictionary,4thEdition.Copyright©2010by HoughtonMifflinHarcourt.Allrightsreserved. Derivedformscircumstanced(ˈcircumˌstanced) adjective WordoriginOFr