Meaning & use
circumstances
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“circumstances” is a form of “circumstance”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
The facts or conditions that affect a situation or event.
Grammar: Used in the plural: 'the circumstances were difficult'. The singular 'circumstance' exists but is much less common.
Patterns
- in the circumstances
- under the circumstances
- the circumstances of something
- given the circumstances
Under the circumstances, we decided to cancel the trip.
The police are investigating the circumstances of his death.
She handled a very difficult situation with great calm, given the circumstances.
nouncountable
A fact or event that makes a situation possible or explains it.
Grammar: Countable when talking about one specific fact or event: 'a circumstance that changed everything'.
Patterns
- a circumstance in which
- the circumstances surrounding something
There are circumstances in which lying is understandable.
The circumstances surrounding the accident are still unclear.
Word forms
| singular | circumstance |
|---|
Common combinations
- under the circumstances
- Under the circumstances, I think she did the right thing.
- in the circumstances
- In the circumstances, we had no choice but to wait.
- difficult circumstances
- Many families are living in difficult circumstances.
- change of circumstances
- Please tell us if you have a change of circumstances.
- exceptional circumstances
- The rule can be waived only in exceptional circumstances.
Synonyms and how they differ
- situation
- Situation is wider and more neutral; circumstances often suggests conditions that are not under your control.
- conditions
- Conditions usually refers to the physical or working environment, while circumstances can include personal and social facts.
- context
- Context is about the background that helps you understand something, not the practical facts affecting a decision.
Word family
- circumstantial adjective
- Based on indirect evidence, as in 'circumstantial evidence'.
- circumstance noun
- The singular form, used in formal writing for one fact or condition.
Commonly confused: circumstances or circumstantial?
circumstances vs circumstantial
This adjective means 'based on indirect evidence', not 'relating to circumstances' in the everyday sense.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'under the circumstances', with the plural noun and the definite article. Option 2 uses the rare singular, option 3 misses 'the', and option 4 omits 'to' before 'stay'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “circumstances”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.