state of affairs
How things stand
A state of affairs is how things stand at a given moment—the current situation or circumstances.
The phrase often signals assessment or concern: This is an unacceptable state of affairs.
It can be neutral description or implicit judgment: Given the state of affairs in the country, we decided to leave.
Difficult, unpleasant situation
- scenarioPostulated event sequence
- plightDifficult, dangerous situation
- quagmireSoft, wet ground
- entanglementState of being intertwined
status quo · impasse · deadlock · standoff · stalemate · dilemma · conundrum · mess
predicament
Difficult, unpleasant situation
entanglement · status quo · impasse · deadlock · standoff · stalemate · dilemma · conundrum · mess · muddle
actuality
State of existing fact
crisis
Decisive dangerous moment
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- recessionProlonged economic decline
- prosperityGood fortune, success
depression · boom · downturn · decline · growth · inflation · malaise · upheaval · turmoil · stagnation
state of affairsincident
A distinct event
event · moment · occurrence · episode · happening
state of affairstransition
Change from one state
upheaval · flux · change · transformation · revolution
state, situation, statement, stated, states, affairs, overstate, stating, circumstances