The difference between situation and circumstance

[Guest]

hello ,i am now wondering about the difference between situation and circumstance .Can anyone help me ?

[Yankee]

Hi Guest

I'd say this is the difference:
A situation consists of a variety of or number of circumstances. In other words, a circumstance is one of the details of a situation.

Amy
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Conchita]

Both circumstances and situation can be synonyms, but have different meanings depending on usage.

'Circumstances' (plural) is the way in which something took place: what were the circumstances of his death?
Under no circumstances means 'not at all'.
In the circumstances means 'as things have turned out like this' or 'as it happens': it's a pity it's pouring down, but in the circumstances it doesn't matter so much as there is plenty to do indoors.
'Circumstances' is also the state of your finances: he is in easy circumstances; they are in tight circumstances.

'Situation' is the state of affairs: we're in rather an awkward situation; this has put him in an embarrassing situation; in the teaching situation means 'when you are teaching'; we are in a no money situation, we have no money.

[Tamara]

Hi

By the way, the only way I know when circumstance can be used in the singular zero-article form is to say something like

We are sons (children?) of circumstance.

= fortune or chance
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It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Mister Micawber]

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There is also Pomp and Circumstance, Tamara.
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Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber