position
[noun]
Synonyms:
- place, area, bearings, locale, location, point, post, situation, spot, station, whereabouts
- posture, arrangement, attitude, pose, stance
- attitude, belief, opinion, outlook, point of view, slant, stance, view, viewpoint
- status, importance, place, prestige, rank, reputation, standing, station, stature
- job, duty, employment, occupation, office, place, post, role, situation
[verb]
Synonyms:
- place, arrange, lay out, locate, put, set, stand

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Related Words: belief, judgment, opinion, view, angle, slant, standpoint, viewpoint

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English Thesaurus: job, work, profession, occupation, career, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. po‧si‧tion¹ S1 W1 /pəˈzɪʃən/ noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: Latin positio, from positus, past participle of ponere 'to put']

1. WAY OF STANDING/SITTING ETC [countable] the way someone is standing, sitting, or lying:
Lie in a comfortable position.
Frankie shifted his position so that his knees would not become cramped.
sitting/kneeling/standing position
I struggled up into a sitting position.

2. SITUATION [countable usually singular] the situation that someone is in, especially when this affects what they can and cannot do:
I’m not sure what I would do if I were in your position.
be in a position to do something
Next week we will be in a much better position to comment.
be in the position of doing something
She is in the enviable position of having three job offers.
You’re putting me in rather a difficult position.

3. PLACE WHERE SOMEBODY/SOMETHING IS [countable] the place where someone or something is, especially in relation to other objects and places
position of
the position of the sun in the sky
Our hotel was in a superb central position near St Mark’s Square.
the strategic position (=useful or important position) of Egypt in relation to the Arabian peninsula

4. CORRECT PLACE [uncountable and countable] the place where someone or something is needed or supposed to be
into position
He pulled the ladder into position.
in/out of position
All parking signs have now been placed in position.

5. DIRECTION [countable] the direction in which an object is pointing
vertical/upright/horizontal position
Make sure the container remains in an upright position.
She turned the switch to the ‘on’ position.

6. OPINION [countable] an opinion or judgment on a particular subject, especially the official opinion of a government, a political party, or someone in authority Synonym : attitude
position on
What’s the party’s position on tax reform?
The principal took the position that the students didn’t need music classes.
I hope you’ll reconsider your position.

7. JOB [countable] formal a job
sb’s position as something
Bill took up his new position as Works Director in October.
position of
She has held the position of Chief Financial Officer since 1992.
Bruce is thinking of applying for the position.
I’m sorry, the position has been filled (=someone has been found to do the job).

8. LEVEL/RANK [uncountable and countable] someone’s or something’s level, authority, or importance in a society or organization
the position of somebody
the position of women in society
position of power/authority/influence etc
Many of his supporters used their positions of power for personal advantage.
As a priest, he was in a position of trust.
abuse your position as something (=use your authority wrongly)

9. be in a position to do something to be able to do something because you have the ability, money, or power to do it:
When I know all the facts, I’ll be in a position to advise you.

10. be in no position to do something to be unable to do something because you do not have the ability, money, or power to do it:
You’re unemployed and in no position to support a family.
Ned says I’m always late? He’s in no position to talk (=should not criticize because he does the same thing).

11. RACE/COMPETITION [uncountable and countable] the place of someone or something in a race or competition in relation to the other people or things
(in) 2nd/3rd/4th etc position
Alesi finished in third position.

12. SPORTS [countable] the area where someone plays in a sport, or the type of actions they are responsible for doing:
What position do you play?

13. jockey/manoeuvre/jostle for position to try to get an advantage over other people who are all trying to succeed in doing the same thing:
Firms adopt different strategies as they jockey for position.

14. ARMY [countable usually plural] a place where an army has put soldiers, guns etc:
an attack on the enemy positions

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. position² verb [transitive always + adverb/preposition]

1. to carefully put something in a particular position:
Position the cursor before the letter you want to delete.
position yourself
I positioned myself where I could see the door.

2. be well/ideally/perfectly positioned to be in a situation in which you will be able to do something successfully:
We are ideally positioned to take advantage of the growth in demand.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

position
noun
I. place
ADJ. correct, exact | central | geographical | military, strategic | defensive
VERB + POSITION take (up) The guards took up their positions on either side of the door.
jostle for Hordes of journalists jostled for position outside the conference hall. | play (sport) What position does he play?
PREP. in ~ Fix the pieces in position before gluing them together
into ~ Please get into position.
out of ~ Nakata had to play out of position when the defender was injured.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

position
II. way of sitting, standing, etc.
ADJ. comfortable, uncomfortable | crouched, kneeling, sitting | sleeping | horizontal, vertical | foetal
VERB + POSITION change

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

position
III. situation
ADJ. business, economic, financial, legal | dominant, impregnable, strong | favourable, good, ideal, perfect | envious, invidious | competitive | precarious, vulnerable, weak | awkward, difficult, embarrassing, impossible | current, present | bargaining, negotiating | trading the trading position of the British economy
VERB + POSITION achieve, attain, reach It has taken years to achieve the position we are now in. | put sb in It put me in an awkward position when he asked me to keep a secret.
strengthen Their obvious desperation strengthens our bargaining position.
PREP. in a/the ~ We may be in a position to help you. I was in the embarrassing position of having completely forgotten her name.
~ of

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

position
IV. opinion
ADJ. extreme | ideological, philosophical, political, theoretical | official The country's official position is that there is no famine in the area.
VERB + POSITION adopt, take | defend
PREP. ~ on He took an extreme position on religious matters.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

position
V. rank
ADJ. first, second, etc. | dominant, high, important, influential, pre-eminent | inferior, lowly They occupy a lowly position in society.
privileged, secure | social
VERB + POSITION establish, gain, secure | hold, occupy
PREP. ~ among/amongst This latest novel confirms herpre-eminent position amongst today's writers.
~ in The firm gained a dominant position in the market.
PHRASES a position of authority/influence/power

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

position
VI. job
ADJ. full-time, part-time | key, responsible, senior | junior, menial | official | skilled | administrative, management, managerial
VERB + POSITION have, hold, occupy | apply for | obtain | fill | offer sb | resign
PREP. in a/the ~ How long were you in your previous position?
~ in/within his new position in the firm
~ of She was offered the position of sales manager.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

position
verb (often be positioned)
ADV. firmly The radiologist firmly positioned Phoebe in front of a ferocious-looking machine.
centrally The markers were not positioned centrally.
carefully | correctly | wrongly | favourably, well | ideally, perfectly, uniquely The company is uniquely positioned to compete in foreign markets.
strategically
PREP. at, behind, between, in, in front of, near, on, etc. Police marksmen were positioned on the roof.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

position

a comfortable position
She wriggled into a more comfortable position.
an awkward position
My foot was in an awkward position.
a sitting/kneeling/standing position
The priest rose from his kneeling position by the bed.
a foetal position (=in which you are curled up like a baby before it is born)
I crawled into my bed and curled up in a foetal position.
change/shift your position
He shifted his position to get a better view of the stage.
pull/drag/haul yourself into a position
She pulled herself into a sitting position.
assume/adopt a position formal (=move your body into a particular position)
The patient should adopt this position for five minutes every half hour.
hold a position (=stay in a position)
Pull in your tummy muscles and hold that position.
the same position
A lot of people are in the same position.
a similar position
You can ask to be put in contact with others in a similar position.
a strong/good position (=a situation in which you have an advantage)
A victory tonight will put them in a very strong position to win the cup.
a unique position (=a situation that no one else is in)
Their close knowledge of the area places them in a unique position to advise on social policy.
a difficult/awkward position
I was in the difficult position of having to choose between them.
an enviable position (=a situation that other people would like to be in)
He is in the enviable position of not needing to work.
an impossible position (=a very difficult situation)
She was furious with Guy for putting her in such an impossible position.
a weak position (=a situation in which you have a disadvantage)
Someone who is desperate to sell their house is in a weak position.
a vulnerable position (=a situation in which you might be harmed)
Today we are in the vulnerable position of producing barely half our own food.
the present/current position
The following statistics indicate the present position.
the legal position (=the situation from a legal point of view)
The legal position is far from clear.
sb’s financial position
Has your financial position changed recently?
a bargaining/negotiating position (=someone’s ability to bargain/negotiate)
The new law has strengthened workers' bargaining position .
be in a strong/weak etc position
We are in a good position to help.
find yourself in a similar/awkward etc position
The refugee organizations now found themselves in a difficult position.
reach a position
It has taken two years to reach the position we are now in.
put/place somebody in a good/awkward etc position
I'm sorry if I put you in an awkward position.
strengthen sb’s position (=give someone a bigger advantage)
People said that he used the conflict to strengthen his own position.
weaken sb’s position (=give someone a bigger disadvantage)
The Prime Minister's position had been weakened by allegations of financial mismanagement.
sb’s position improves
By March, the Democrats' position had improved.
a position of strength (=a strong position)
By now they were negotiating from a position of strength.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

position
noun
BAD: I should like to explain our government's position about nuclear weapons.
GOOD: I should like to explain our government's position on nuclear weapons.

Usage Note:
position on sth (NOT about ): 'The President has made his position on taxation perfectly clear.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

job noun [countable] the regular paid work that you do for an employer:
a full-time job
John got a job in a car factory.
work noun [uncountable] activities that you are paid for doing – used either when you work for an employer or when you work in your own business:
I started work when I was 18.
He graduated from college last year and is still looking for work.
profession noun [countable] a job for which you need special education and training:
There are now a lot more women in the legal profession.
Many teachers are leaving the profession.
occupation noun [countable] formal a job, or a type of job – often used on official documents:
Please give your name, age, and occupation.
a traditionally male occupation
career noun [countable] the work you do or plan to do for most of your life:
I’m interested in a career in journalism.
position noun [countable] formal a particular job within an organization:
I am writing to apply for the position of technical assistant.
We regret that the position has already been filled.
Please state the position which you are applying for.
post noun [countable] formal a job, especially an important one in a large organization:
She has held the post of managing director for two years.
He applied for the post of Senior Manager.
vacancy/opening noun [countable] a job that is available for someone to do:
The hospital has been unable to fill the vacancy.
There are very few openings in scientific research.
appointment noun [countable] an important job which someone is asked to do:
He took an appointment as US trade ambassador in Geneva.
posting noun [countable] a situation in which someone is sent somewhere to do a job for a period of time by the organization they work for:
This was his first posting outside the UK.
an overseas posting
His next posting took him to the Ministry of Defence.
trade noun [countable] a job that involves using your hands, and for which you need special training:
Most of the men had worked in skilled trades such as carpentry and printing.
employment noun [uncountable] the fact of having a job:
The factory will provide employment for local people.
She was offered employment in the sales office.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

opinion what you think about something or someone:
People didn’t usually ask his opinion about anything.
She has rather a low opinion of young people.
view your opinion about a serious or important issue:
She has strong views about education.
In my view, footballers are paid too much.
point of view your opinion, especially when this is influenced by the situation you are in:
From a farmer’s point of view, foxes are a nuisance.
It all depends on your point of view.
position the official opinion of a government, political party, or someone in authority:
The Prime Minister has made his position perfectly clear.
The party has changed its position on nuclear weapons.
attitude your opinions and feelings about something or someone, especially when this shows in your behaviour:
My parents and I have very different attitudes to life.
It was his attitude to women that shocked me.
school of thought an opinion that one group of people have about a subject, especially when this is different from that of another group:
There is one school of thought that says that coffee is addictive and is therefore a bad thing.
There are two schools of thought on this.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

place a point or area, especially one that you visit or use for a particular purpose:
He’s been to lots of places.
a good meeting place
position the exact place where someone or something is, in relation to other things:
She showed me the position of the village on the map.
I changed the position of the mirror slightly.
Jessica moved to a position where she could see the stage better.
point a particular place on a line or surface:
At this point the path gets narrower.
No cars are allowed beyond this point.
spot a place, especially a particular kind of place, or a place where something happens. Spot sounds rather informal:
She chose a sunny spot.
The area is a favourite spot for windsurfers.
This is the exact spot where I asked her to marry me.
location a place where someone or something is, or where something happens. Location sounds more formal than place:
your exact location
The prisoners were taken to an undisclosed location.
an ideal location for a winter break
site a place, especially one that will be used for a particular purpose, or where something important happened:
the site of a great battle
There are plans to develop the site for housing.
The area has become a dumping site for nuclear waste.
venue a place where something such as a meeting, concert, game etc takes place:
the venue for the next Olympic Games
The hotel is a popular wedding venue.
scene the place where something bad such as an accident or crime happened:
the scene of the crime
Ambulance crews were at the scene within minutes.
setting the place and the area around it, where something is or where something happens:
The hotel is in a beautiful setting.
the setting for the film ‘A Room With a View’
Beautiful gardens provide the perfect setting for outdoor dining.
somewhere used for talking about a place when you are not sure exactly which place:
She came from somewhere in London.
whereabouts the place where someone or something is – used especially when you do not know this or do not want to tell people:
The whereabouts of the painting is unknown.
He refused to disclose his whereabouts.
I’m not sure about her whereabouts.
put to move something to a particular place:
I’ve put the wine in the fridge.
Where have you put my grey shirt?
lay to put someone or something down carefully on a flat surface:
He laid all the money on the table.
She laid the baby on his bed.
slip to put something somewhere with a quick movement:
He slipped his arm around her waist.
Carrie quickly slipped the money into her bag.
shove to put something into a space or container quickly or carelessly:
Shove anything you don’t want in that sack.
I’ve ironed those shirts so don’t just shove them in a drawer.
stick (also bung British English) informal to put something somewhere quickly or carelessly:
I stuck the address in my pocket and I can’t find it now.
Could you bung those clothes in the washing machine?
dump to put something down somewhere in a careless and untidy way:
Don’t just dump all your bags in the kitchen.
People shouldn’t dump rubbish at the side of the street.
pop informal to quickly put something somewhere, usually for a short time:
Pop it in the microwave for a minute.
thrust literary to put something somewhere suddenly or forcefully:
‘Hide it,’ he said, thrusting the watch into her hand.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

put to move something to a particular place:
I’ve put the wine in the fridge.
Where have you put my grey shirt?
place to put something somewhere carefully:
‘It’s beautiful,’ he said, placing it back on the shelf.
lay to put someone or something down carefully on a flat surface:
He laid all the money on the table.
She laid the baby on his bed.
position to carefully put something in a suitable position:
Position the microphone to suit your height.
Troops were positioned around the city.
slip to put something somewhere with a quick movement:
He slipped his arm around her waist.
Carrie quickly slipped the money into her bag.
shove to put something into a space or container quickly or carelessly:
Shove anything you don’t want in that sack.
I’ve ironed those shirts so don’t just shove them in a drawer.
stick (also bung British English) informal to put something somewhere quickly or carelessly:
I stuck the address in my pocket and I can’t find it now.
Could you bung those clothes in the washing machine?
dump to put something down somewhere in a careless and untidy way:
Don’t just dump all your bags in the kitchen.
People shouldn’t dump rubbish at the side of the street.
pop informal to quickly put something somewhere, usually for a short time:
Pop it in the microwave for a minute.
thrust literary to put something somewhere suddenly or forcefully:
‘Hide it,’ he said, thrusting the watch into her hand.
dip to put something into a liquid for a very short time and take it out again:
She dipped her hand in the water to see how hot it was.
Prawns are delicious dipped in a spicy sauce.
plunge to put something quickly, firmly, and deeply into a liquid:
Plunge the pasta into a pan of boiling water.
I had to plunge my arm in up to the elbow to reach the keys.
dunk to put something such as a piece of bread or cake into a hot drink or soup before eating it:
I love biscuits dunked in coffee.
immerse to put something deep into a liquid so that it is completely covered:
If the plant’s leaves look dry, immerse the roots in water for a while.
put forward a proposal/suggestion
She put forward a compromise proposal.
put forward a plan/scheme
Both parties have put forward plans for political reform.
put forward an idea
In 1829 he put forward the idea that the Earth is contracting.
put forward a theory/hypothesis
Many theories have been put forward as to the building’s original purpose.
put forward a view
We should encourage individuals to put forward their views.
put forward an argument
He rejected the arguments put forward by the company’s lawyers.
put forward a reason/explanation
A variety of reasons have been put forward to explain these changes.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

put to move something to a particular place:
I’ve put the wine in the fridge.
Where have you put my grey shirt?
place to put something somewhere carefully:
‘It’s beautiful,’ he said, placing it back on the shelf.
lay to put someone or something down carefully on a flat surface:
He laid all the money on the table.
She laid the baby on his bed.
position to carefully put something in a suitable position:
Position the microphone to suit your height.
Troops were positioned around the city.
slip to put something somewhere with a quick movement:
He slipped his arm around her waist.
Carrie quickly slipped the money into her bag.
shove to put something into a space or container quickly or carelessly:
Shove anything you don’t want in that sack.
I’ve ironed those shirts so don’t just shove them in a drawer.
stick (also bung British English) informal to put something somewhere quickly or carelessly:
I stuck the address in my pocket and I can’t find it now.
Could you bung those clothes in the washing machine?
dump to put something down somewhere in a careless and untidy way:
Don’t just dump all your bags in the kitchen.
People shouldn’t dump rubbish at the side of the street.
pop informal to quickly put something somewhere, usually for a short time:
Pop it in the microwave for a minute.
thrust literary to put something somewhere suddenly or forcefully:
‘Hide it,’ he said, thrusting the watch into her hand.
father a male parent:
My father’s a doctor.
He’s a father of three.
dad informal used when talking to your father, or about someone's father:
Can I borrow your car, Dad?
Her dad retired ten years ago.
My dad was in the army.
daddy a name for father, which is used especially by young children or when you are talking to young children:
Where’s your daddy?
Daddy, can I have a drink, please?
papa old-fashioned informal used when talking to your father, or about someone's father:
Papa had forbidden me to go.
She saw her papa 's face change at this news.
sb’s old man informal someone's father – used when talking about him in a way that is not very respectful:
His old man wouldn’t let him use the car.
stepfather (also stepdad informal) a man who is married to your mother, who is not your father but often acts as your parent:
Her stepfather is really nice.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

senior used about someone who has an important position in an organization. Senior can also be used about someone who has a higher position than you in an organization:
a senior executive
She’s a senior partner in a law firm.
She is senior to me.
chief [only before noun] used, especially in job titles, about someone who has the most important or one of the most important positions in an organization:
Carole is the company’s chief financial officer.
He’s the chief economist at Hangseng Bank.
high-ranking [only before noun] used about someone who has a high position in an organization such as the government, the army, or the police:
high-ranking government officials
a high-ranking police officer
top [only before noun] used about someone who is very good, important, or successful in their job:
a top lawyer
He’s one of the President’s top aides.
top diplomats
junior used about someone who has a low position in an organization. Junior can also be used about someone who has a lower position than you in an organization:
a junior clerk
a junior doctor
His role as naval officer was junior to Nelson.
assistant [only before noun] an assistant manager, director, editor etc has a position just below a manager etc:
He’s an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard University.
She became assistant director at the Belgrade Theatre.
take/hold a position (=have an opinion)
We take the position that these changes are to be welcomed.
adopt a position (=start having an opinion)
In 1898, the Church adopted its current position.
change your position
Since then, the party has changed its position.
reconsider your position (=think again about it and perhaps change it)
The UN Secretary General urged the US to reconsider its position.
defend a position
Each of the next three speakers defended a different position.
an official position (=one that a government or organization says officially that it has)
This was the French government’s official position.
an extreme position
Few people hold this extreme position today.
a middle position (=one that is between two extreme positions)
They took a middle position, favouring decentralization but with some controls.
a neutral position (=not supporting either side in an argument)
The US claimed that Jordan had abandoned its neutral position and sided with Iraq.
hold a position (=have it)
She had previously held a senior position in another school.
apply for a position
I decided to apply for the position of head teacher.
take up a position (=start doing a job)
Woods took up a new position as managing director of a company in Belfast.
leave a position
He left his position as Chief Conductor of the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra.
resign from a position
She has resigned from her position as department secretary.
offer somebody a position
They offered me the position of store manager.
fill a position (=find someone to do a job)
We are now seeking to fill some key positions in the company.
a senior position
Decision making is done by managers holding the most senior positions.
a junior position
I left school and was offered a junior position in a bank.
a permanent/temporary position
It's a temporary position initially, for six months.
a position of power/authority
Many used their positions of power for personal advantage.
a position of influence
The media have an unrivalled position of influence.
a position of trust
As a church leader, he was in a position of trust.
a position of responsibility
Did you hold any positions of responsibility at school or university?
a position of leadership
She had risen to a position of leadership.
a privileged position
The public expects the Royal Family to earn its privileged position.
an influential position
It's useful if you have friends in influential positions.
a powerful position
Many leaders from that period are still in powerful positions in government.
a dominant position
The firm achieved a dominant position in the world market.
occupy a position
Those who occupy positions of power do not want democracy.
maintain a position (=keep the rank that you have)
High-status groups do all they can to maintain their positions.
use your position
She can now use her position to do some good.
abuse your position (=use your level or rank wrongly)
He abused his position as a doctor.
put to move something to a particular place:
I’ve put the wine in the fridge.
Where have you put my grey shirt?
place to put something somewhere carefully:
‘It’s beautiful,’ he said, placing it back on the shelf.
lay to put someone or something down carefully on a flat surface:
He laid all the money on the table.
She laid the baby on his bed.
position to carefully put something in a suitable position:
Position the microphone to suit your height.
Troops were positioned around the city.
slip to put something somewhere with a quick movement:
He slipped his arm around her waist.
Carrie quickly slipped the money into her bag.
shove to put something into a space or container quickly or carelessly:
Shove anything you don’t want in that sack.
I’ve ironed those shirts so don’t just shove them in a drawer.
stick (also bung British English) informal to put something somewhere quickly or carelessly:
I stuck the address in my pocket and I can’t find it now.
Could you bung those clothes in the washing machine?
dump to put something down somewhere in a careless and untidy way:
Don’t just dump all your bags in the kitchen.
People shouldn’t dump rubbish at the side of the street.
pop informal to quickly put something somewhere, usually for a short time:
Pop it in the microwave for a minute.
thrust literary to put something somewhere suddenly or forcefully:
‘Hide it,’ he said, thrusting the watch into her hand.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

position
pəˈzɪʃən
See: scoring position

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲