context
noun
con·text
ˈkän-ˌtekst 
1
: the parts of a discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light on its meaning
2
: the interrelated conditions in which something exists or occurs : environment, setting
the historical context of the war
contextually
adverb
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Context, in Context
In its earliest uses (documented in the 15th century), context meant "the weaving together of words in language." This sense, now obsolete, developed logically from the word's source in Latin, contexere "to weave or join together." Context now most commonly refers to the environment or setting in which something (whether words or events) exists. When we say that something is contextualized, we mean that it is placed in an appropriate setting, one in which it may be properly considered.
Synonyms
Examples of context in a Sentence
… it was Dickens who first used the word 'detective' in a literary context …
—
John Mullan, How Novels Work, 2006
Entrepreneurship and civil freedoms depend on a context of civil order, predictability, and individual security.
—Susan L. Woodward, Balkan Tragedy, 1995
… the old building, its original acre, inside its high outer wall, was immune to change, out of context and out of time.
—Harriet Doerr, The Tiger in the Grass, 1995
We need to look at the event within the larger context of world history.
The book puts these events in their proper historical and social contexts.
We need to consider these events in context.
John Mullan, How Novels Work, 2006
Entrepreneurship and civil freedoms depend on a context of civil order, predictability, and individual security.
—Susan L. Woodward, Balkan Tragedy, 1995
… the old building, its original acre, inside its high outer wall, was immune to change, out of context and out of time.
—Harriet Doerr, The Tiger in the Grass, 1995
We need to look at the event within the larger context of world history.
The book puts these events in their proper historical and social contexts.
We need to consider these events in context.
Recent Examples on the Web
However, during a complex scene with a lot of context, complicated wording, and ambiguity about what is going on, more cognitive effort is required.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024
These snug garments were once used primarily in medical contexts to improve circulation, especially in people with damage to their leg veins (say, due to a condition called chronic venous insufficiency).
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 5 Nov. 2024
For a tech company specializing in data, this inability to use that historical context to create better, more efficient, and effective services just doesn’t make sense.
—Anna Covert, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Meta’s licensing restrictions forbid using Llama in military contexts, but what’s the company going to do?
—Byandrew Nusca, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for context 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024
These snug garments were once used primarily in medical contexts to improve circulation, especially in people with damage to their leg veins (say, due to a condition called chronic venous insufficiency).
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 5 Nov. 2024
For a tech company specializing in data, this inability to use that historical context to create better, more efficient, and effective services just doesn’t make sense.
—Anna Covert, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Meta’s licensing restrictions forbid using Llama in military contexts, but what’s the company going to do?
—Byandrew Nusca, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for context
Dictionary Entries Near context
Cite this Entry
“Context.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/context. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
context
noun
con·text
ˈkän-ˌtekst
1
: the parts of something written or spoken that are near a certain word or group of words and that help to explain its meaning
2
: the circumstances in which something exists or occurs
contextually
adverb
-ē
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