status
C1Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
the relative social, professional, or legal standing of a person or group; the official classification or current condition of something
The level of respect, admiration, or importance accorded to someone or something within a social hierarchy; the state of affairs at a particular time (e.g., 'status of the project'); in computing, a piece of information describing the state of a process or system.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. Can denote a static position ('marital status') or a dynamic, socially constructed value ('status symbol'). In computing contexts, it is highly technical.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. 'Status' is sometimes pluralised as 'statuses' in both, though purists may prefer the Latin plural 'status' (pronounced /ˈsteɪtəs/ or /ˈstætəs/) for academic contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, strongly associated with social hierarchy and material indicators of success.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have/achieve/gain/lose statusconfer status onstatus as (a leader)status of (the project)check the status ofVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A status symbol”
- “To be status-conscious”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to project milestones, employee seniority, or company market position.
Academic
Used in sociology, law, and computing; denotes social stratification or system states.
Everyday
Commonly used for social media updates ('post a status'), relationship details, or the progress of an application.
Technical
In IT, describes the operational state of a system, process, or request.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- A status conference is scheduled for next week.
- He is very status-aware.
American English
- We need a status update by EOD.
- It's a major status symbol in their community.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- What is your marital status?
- The status of my order is 'shipped'.
- Her new job gave her higher social status.
- Please check the status of the flight online.
- The contract's legal status remains unclear pending review.
- He is obsessed with status symbols like luxury cars.
- The study examined how perceived socioeconomic status affects health outcomes.
- The daemon's status changed from 'running' to 'terminated'.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the STATue of Liberty – it's a symbol of high STATUS and recognition.
Conceptual Metaphor
STATUS IS HEIGHT (high status, low status), STATUS IS A POSSESSION (have status, gain status).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'статус' (direct cognate, correct) and 'состояние' (which is more 'state' or 'condition' in a physical/emotional sense). 'Status' does not mean 'рост' (growth).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'status' as a verb (e.g., 'I will status the team' – use 'update'). Incorrect pluralisation (e.g., 'stati'). Confusing 'status' with 'statue'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical use of 'status'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both 'statuses' and 'status' are used. 'Statuses' is common for general use (e.g., 'check all order statuses'). The Latin plural 'status' (same spelling) is sometimes used in formal/academic writing.
No, 'status' is not standard as a verb. Use verbs like 'update', 'report on', or 'check the status of'.
'Status' often implies a position within a social or official system (marital, professional). 'State' is more general, describing the physical or conditional properties of something (state of matter, state of repair).
In British English, it's typically /ˈsteɪtəs/. In American English, both /ˈstætəs/ (like 'statistics') and /ˈsteɪtəs/ are common and acceptable.