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position

A2
Very common

Pronunciation

UK

  • /pəzˈɪʃən/

US

  • /pəˈzɪʃən/

Meanings

Noun

  1. the place or arrangement in which someone or something is situated

  2. a job or role in an organization

  3. a view or stance on an issue

More meanings
  1. a rank or place in an ordered list, hierarchy, or competition

Verb

  1. to put or arrange someone or something in a particular place or posture

  2. to present or market someone or something in a chosen way

Beyond the definition

Think of a chessboard: each piece has its own position. That is the basic idea, but the word is used in a few common ways. It can mean the place where someone or something is. It can mean a person's view on an issue. If you take a strong position, you clearly show what you believe. It can also mean a job or role in a company. And if someone is in a "difficult position," they are in a hard situation.

The word comes from the Latin "positio," meaning a placing or setting. So whether it is about where something is, what someone believes, or the role a person has, position is about place, role, and point of view.

Examples

  1. 1

    Furniture placement

    Move the chair into a better position by the window.

  2. 2

    Body posture

    Try to hold this position for ten seconds.

  3. 3

    Room location

    From our position at the back of the room, we couldn't hear the speaker clearly.

  4. 4

    Job opening

    The company is hiring for a marketing position.

More examples
  1. 5

    Career level

    She started in a junior position and became a manager within three years.

  2. 6

    Competitive advantage

    The team is in a strong position after winning the first two games.

    • Phrasein a strong position

      likely to succeed or have an advantage

  3. 7

    Ability

    I'm not in a position to lend you money right now.

    • Patternin a position to do X

      able to do it

  4. 8

    Difficult situation

    His mistake put me in an awkward position with my boss.

    • Patternput someone in an awkward/difficult position

      create a problem for them

  5. 9

    Political stance

    The senator has not taken a clear position on the issue.

    • Patterntake a position on + issue

      say what you think about it

  6. 10

    Camera setup

    Position the camera so that everyone fits in the picture.

  7. 11

    Brand image

    The brand tries to position itself as simple, reliable, and affordable.

    • Patternposition yourself as + image

      make people see you in that way

See also

Similar

Shades of meaning

Contrast

Used with (collocations)

  • current position
  • starting position
  • in position
  • out of position

Word family

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Forms and spellings

4 forms open this card.

Main spelling

  • positionnounverb

Forms

  • positionspluralnounverb
  • positionedpast tenseverbnoun
  • positioning-ing formverbnoun