position

noun po·si·tion \ pə-ˈzi-shən \

Updated on: 10 Dec 2017

Definition of position

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

See position defined for English-language learners

See position defined for kids

Examples of position in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of position from the Web

Trump has publicly praised this position, saying any players who sit should be fired.

— ryan parker, The Hollywood Reporter, "Colin Kaepernick Named a GQ 'Man of the Year'," 13 Nov. 2017
Investigators said his position with the campaign, though not senior, was significant to those who wanted to pass on helpful information.

— Washington Post, "AP FACT CHECK: Trump on terrorism, taxes and Russia probe," 4 Nov. 2017
The positions of these companies, however, is inclined to shift based on the market and popular sentiment.

— jeff john roberts, Fortune, "Bitcoin's Coming Split: What You Need to Know," 3 Nov. 2017
Neal told the news site that the hand position was not part of a protest—at least, not on his part.

— breanna edwards, The Root, "Miss. High School Basketball Player Says He Was Suspended for Not Placing Hand Over Heart During National Anthem," 2 Nov. 2017
Other than his school board positions, Balukokff had never sought elective office before his 2014 run for governor.

— betsy z. russell, idahostatesman, "Boise’s Balukoff is back, seeking Democratic nomination for Idaho governor," 2 Nov. 2017
The position for which Clovis was nominated has traditionally been held by individuals with advanced degrees in science or medicine.

— author: juliet eilperin, philip rucker, Alaska Dispatch News, "Clovis withdraws nomination for UDSA’s top scientist post after being linked to Russia probe," 2 Nov. 2017
So now the United States is in a paradoxical position.

— victor davis hanson, National Review, "Who Gets to Have Nuclear Weapons — and Why?," 2 Nov. 2017
Yet his retirement may put them in the same awkward position.

— The Economist, "Texas politics after Joe Straus," 2 Nov. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'position.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of position

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

position Synonyms

Synonyms

appointment, berth, billet, capacity, connection, function, place, job, post, situation

Related Words

business, employ, employment, occupation, profession; work; office, spot; calling, pursuit, trade, vocation; line, racket; engagement, gig; livelihood, living; career, lifework, practice (also practise); duty, mission, posting, service, task

Near Antonyms

avocation; joblessness, unemployment

position

verb

Definition of position

positioned; positioning play \pə-ˈzi-sh(ə-)niŋ\

transitive verb

: to put in a certain position

positioned the chairs around the room

positioned the company in the global market

See position defined for English-language learners

Examples of position in a Sentence

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 of position from the Web

Whereas my previous workouts consisted of machines positioned in front of televisions, the cycling studio felt like a high-stakes nightclub, a sensory experience even the most jolted cup of coffee couldn’t supply.

— julia sullivan, SELF, "I Stopped Working Out to Lose Weight—and Feel Happier Than Ever," 26 Oct. 2017
This is the time where teams start to position themselves as playoff contenders and others fall back and the make the most of the last four games.

— kevin lonnquist, star-telegram, "Week 8 football picks: Keller Central is unpredictable as ever," 16 Oct. 2017
The building is modern and sleek, and has 12 check-in counters and 110,000 square feet of airy and bright terminal space built to accommodate one million passengers; friendly staff are positioned as if ready to service a sudden rush of traffic.

— allison hope, CNT, "This $200 Million Airport Sees an Average of 7 Passengers a Day," 10 Oct. 2017
Kevin Wilson has a fine offensive mind but never recruited well enough to position IU firmly ahead of anyone but Darrell Hazell’s Purdue.

— gregg doyel, Indianapolis Star, "Doyel: Breakthrough? Not quite. IU breaks down against Buckeyes," 1 Sep. 2017
Trump has positioned himself as Obama’s opposite; Gifford raised $1 billion as finance director for Obama’s reelection campaign.

— amy weiss-meyer, The Atlantic, "A Freelance Diplomat Takes Scandinavia," 29 Oct. 2017
The party has attempted to scrub the anti-Semitism from its reputation, positioning itself as pro-Israel and anti-Muslim.

— benjamin hart, Daily Intelligencer, "Far Right Makes Momentous Gains in Austrian Elections," 15 Oct. 2017
Warsh has positioned himself as the candidate most interested in Fed reform, having previously served as a governor.

— craig torres, Bloomberg.com, "White House Wants a Fed Chief Willing to Revisit Financial Rules," 6 Oct. 2017
The governor has activated the Alabama National Guard to position itself for response to the storm.

— jonece starr dunigan, AL.com, "22-year-old fatally stabbed during argument in Montgomery," 6 Oct. 2017

First Known Use of position

1817

position Synonyms

Synonyms

depose, deposit, dispose, emplace, fix, lay, place, put, set, set up, situate, stick

Related Words

move, rearrange, reorder, shift; orient; establish, locate, plant, settle; clap, flop, plank, plop, plump, plunk (or plonk), plunk down, slap; ensconce, niche; assemble, collect; carry; berth, park; affix, anchor, lock, lodge, wedge; array, lay out, line up, queue, rank; set down

Near Antonyms

relocate, remove, take; banish; dislodge, displace, replace, supersede, supplant

POSITION Defined for English Language Learners

position

noun

Definition of position for English Language Learners

: the place where someone or something is in relation to other people or things
: the place where someone or something should be
: the way someone stands, sits, or lies down

position

verb

Definition of position for English Language Learners

: to put (something or someone) in a particular position

POSITION Defined for Kids

position

noun po·si·tion \ pə-ˈzi-shən \

Definition of position for Students

1 : the way in which something or someone is placed or arranged

The seat is in the upright position.

2 : a way of looking at or considering things

What's your position on the issue?

3 : the place where a person or thing is or should be

They took their positions on stage.

4 : the situation that someone or something is in

Your request puts me in an awkward position.

5 : the rank or role a person has in an organization or in society She rose to a position of leadership.

6 : job 1

Word Root of position

The Latin word ponere, meaning “to place” or “to put,” and its form positus give us the roots pon and pos. Words from the Latin ponere have something to do with putting. A position is the location or way in which something has been placed. To expose is to put out in the open. To postpone is to put off until a later time. Posture is the way a body has been placed.

position

verb

Definition of position for Students

positioned; positioning

: to put in a particular place or arrangement

He positioned the helmet on his head.

Medical Dictionary

position

noun po·si·tion \ pə-ˈzish-ən \

medical Definition of position

: a particular arrangement or location; specifically : an arrangement of the parts of the body considered particularly desirable for some medical or surgical procedure