position

1 of 2

noun

po·​si·​tion pə-ˈzi-shən How to pronounce position (audio)
Synonyms of positionnext
1
: an act of placing or arranging: such as
a
: the laying down of a proposition or thesis
b
: an arranging in order
2
: a point of view adopted and held to
made my position on the issue clear
3
a
: the point or area occupied by a physical object : location
took her position at the head of the line
b
: a certain arrangement of bodily parts
rose to a standing position
4
: a market commitment in securities or commodities
also : the inventory of a market trader
5
a
: relative place, situation, or standing
is now in a position to make decisions on his own
b
: social or official rank or status
c
: an employment for which one has been hired : job
a position with a brokerage firm
d
: a situation that confers advantage or preference

position

2 of 2

verb

positioned; positioning pə-ˈzi-sh(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce position (audio)

transitive verb

: to put in a certain position
positioned the chairs around the room
positioned the company in the global market

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of position in a Sentence

Noun From this position, you can see all of New York City's skyline. Actors, please assume your positions. The show is about to begin. The child fell asleep in a sitting position. I was in an uncomfortable position and had to move. I was uncomfortable, so I shifted position. Return your seat to an upright position for landing. Verb He positioned the chairs around the table. The company is positioning itself to take advantage of a new market. The shortstop was positioned well to make the play. She positioned herself by the door.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Paul Bernard had joined the corporate development team two years prior, after holding a similar position at Nokia and working at investment bank Goldman Sachs, and saw an opportunity for the company to leverage its access and dealmaking chops in a new way. —Dana Mattioli, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2024 Woodruff Carr has four degrees — including a Ph.D — and works as a neuroscientist Dr. Woodruff Carr works as a research scientist at the Boston Children’s Hospital and got to her esteemed position through a great deal of hard work and extensive education. —Skyler Trepel, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for position 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'position.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English posycion, from Anglo-French posicioun, from Latin position-, positio, from ponere to lay down, put, place, from Old Latin *posinere, from po- away (akin to Old Church Slavonic po-, perfective prefix, Greek apo away) + Latin sinere to leave — more at of

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of position was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing position

Dictionary Entries Near position

posit

position

positional

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Position.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/position. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

position

1 of 2 noun
po·​si·​tion pə-ˈzish-ən How to pronounce position (audio)
1
a
: the manner in which something is placed or arranged
b
: a certain arrangement of the body
exercise while in a sitting position
2
: a stand taken on a question
3
: the point or area occupied by something
4
a
: one's rank in an organization or in society
b
: job sense 3
positional
-ˈzish-(ə-)nəl
adjective

position

2 of 2 verb
positioned; positioning -ˈzish-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce position (audio)
: to put in a certain position
Etymology

Noun

Middle English posycion "position," from early French posicioun (same meaning), from Latin positio "position," from ponere "to put, place" — related to compound entry 1

Medical Definition

position

1 of 2 noun
po·​si·​tion pə-ˈzish-ən How to pronounce position (audio)
: a particular arrangement or location
specifically : an arrangement of the parts of the body considered particularly desirable for some medical or surgical procedure
knee-chest position
the prone position
positional
pə-ˈzish-ᵊn-əl How to pronounce position (audio)
adjective

position

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to put in proper position

More from Merriam-Webster on position

Nglish: Translation of position for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of position for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about position

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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