circumstancenoun
uk/ˈsɜː.kəm.stɑːns/us/ˈsɝː.kəm.stæns/B2 [ C usually plural ] a fact or event that makes a situation the way it is:
I think she coped very well under the circumstances.
Obviously we can't deal with the problem until we know all the circumstances.
She died in suspicious circumstances.
We oppose capital punishment in/under any circumstances.
Under no circumstances should you (= you should not) approach the man.
The meeting has been cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control.
[ U ] formal events that change your life, over which you have no control:
They were victims of circumstance.
We were obliged to go by force of circumstance.
circumstances
how much money someone has:
Grants are available depending on your circumstances.
By now she was alone and living in reduced circumstances (= with little money).
More examples
- The new circumstances compelled a change in policy.
- An unfortunate conjunction of circumstances led to his downfall.
- I'd planned a romantic evening together, but circumstances conspired against it - friends arrived unexpectedly and then Dave was called out to an emergency.
- The circumstances of her death have been hotly disputed.
- His tact was exemplary, especially considering the circumstances.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Situations and circumstances
- affair
- backdrop
- background
- case
- climate
- condition
- farce
- footing
- going
- matrix
- perfect storm
- picture
- position
- practicality
- scheme
- situation
- snapshot
- stake
- the scheme of things idiom
- thing
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Chance and randomness
Amounts of money