WordGarden.iostatus
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /stˈeɪtəs/
US
- /ˈstætəs/
Meanings
Noun
the current condition, stage, or official standing of someone or something
relative social or professional standing or prestige
the current online, availability, or operating state shown for a user, account, or system
More meaningsFewer meanings
a short message or post shared on a social platform or chat profile
Beyond the definition
"Status" is about the position someone or something has, or the condition it is in at a certain time. A queen may have high status, a new employee may have lower status in a company, and the status of your flight might be "delayed."
You can talk about social status, marital or relationship status, legal status, or the status of a project at work. In everyday English, it often means where someone stands or what stage something has reached.
The word "status" usually refers to a person's or thing's position, rank, or condition. Sometimes it is about social or professional standing. If someone has high status, other people see them as important, respected, or influential. For example, a senior judge, a famous athlete, or a royal figure may have high status in a group or society.
It can also refer to someone's official situation. You might hear about immigration status, marital status, or legal status. In these cases, the word is not about respect or popularity. It simply describes a person's formal position under the law or in a system.
"Status" is also widely used for the current state or progress of something. If you ask, "What's the status of the order?" or "What's the status of the repairs?", you are asking for an update. In this sense, the word often means how things stand right now.
The word can apply to many kinds of things: a project, a payment, a case, a request, a flight, or even a species. For example, a flight can have the status "boarding" or "delayed," and an animal can have protected status.
You may also see the word in technology and social media, where a status can be a short public update. Even there, the basic idea is similar: it tells other people your current situation, condition, or position.
So in everyday English, "status" helps describe rank, official standing, or the present condition of someone or something.
Examples
- 1
Online orders
You can check the status of your order online.
- 2
Immigration
Her visa status changed after she started her new job.
- 3
Project progress
We need to know the current status of the project before we make a decision.
- 4
Social rank
In that town, doctors still have high social status.
- Phrasesocial status
the respect or position someone has in society
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Legal protection
The law gave the area protected status.
- Domainprotected status
official legal protection
- 6
Identity role
She spoke openly about her status as a single parent.
- Patternstatus as + role/identity
position or identity in that role
- 7
Wealth signal
For some people, a luxury watch is still a status symbol.
- Phrasestatus symbol
something used to show wealth or importance
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- statusnoun
Forms
- statusespluralnoun