Situational
ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃənəl
Definitions
Relating to or depending on the circumstances or environment.
ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃənəl
Relating to or dependent on a specific situation.
The team's strategy was situational, adapting to the opponent's weaknesses.
💡 Simply: It means something is based on the specific time and place it's happening. Like, your mood might be situational – happy if you're at a party, but not so happy if you're stuck in traffic!
👶 For kids: It means something happens because of what's happening around it. Like, if it's raining outside, your clothes might get wet. That's situational!
More Examples
Her anxiety was often situational, only flaring up in social settings.
The economic outlook is largely situational, based on current market trends.
How It's Used
"Situational depression can be triggered by stressful life events."
"A situational analysis is often conducted before launching a new product."
"The weather conditions were situational, and impacted the event."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
Situational Awareness
Understanding of what is happening around you.
"Pilots need excellent situational awareness to avoid collisions."
From 'situation' + '-al'. 'Situation' derives from the Latin 'situs' (position, site). The suffix '-al' indicates 'relating to' or 'characterized by'.
The word 'situational' has been in use since the early 20th century, initially in the context of sociology and psychology.
Memory tip
Think of a *situation*. If something is situational, it’s determined by that particular *situation*.
Word Origin
"position, site"