Status vs. Condition — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 4, 2024
Status denotes a person's or thing's current position or standing, often in relation to social or professional contexts, while condition refers to the state of something, emphasizing its physical or operational state.
Difference Between Status and Condition
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Status is commonly used to describe a person's social, professional, or legal position within a specific context or society. It highlights how an individual or entity is regarded by others, encompassing aspects such as employment, marital, or citizenship status. On the other hand, condition typically refers to the physical, health, or operational state of something, focusing on its quality, functionality, or well-being at a given moment.
In the professional world, an individual's job status can signify their role, level of responsibility, or employment state (e.g., full-time, part-time, contractor). This contrasts with condition, which in a workplace might refer to the working environment's state or a piece of equipment's operational readiness, indicating its ability to perform its intended function.
Status can also relate to progress or stages in processes, like the status of a project or application, indicating its current phase or position in a workflow. Conversely, condition can describe the requirements or stipulations under a particular set of circumstances, such as the terms and conditions of a contract, or the state of an object or individual's health.
Status encompasses one's standing or prestige within a community or society, which can be influenced by factors like wealth, occupation, or education. Condition, in a social context, might refer to the living conditions or circumstances affecting individuals or groups, highlighting aspects like economic or health states rather than social standing.
Legal status denotes an individual's or entity's position under the law, such as citizenship status, legal rights, or criminal status. Condition in a legal context could refer to the specifics of an agreement, the condition of evidence, or prerequisites for legal processes, emphasizing the state or quality relevant to legal judgments or procedures.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Current social, professional, or legal position.
Physical or operational state or quality.
Contexts
Social standing, employment, legal rights.
Health, functionality, equipment or environment state.
Focus
Position or rank within a system or society.
Quality, well-being, or stipulations of something.
Examples
Employment status, marital status.
Health condition, terms and conditions, equipment condition.
Implications
Reflects societal or organizational standing.
Indicates operational readiness or quality of life.
Compare with Definitions
Status
Legal or citizenship condition.
His status as a resident allowed him to access public healthcare.
Condition
The operational state of machinery or equipment.
The car's condition is excellent, showing no signs of wear.
Status
Relationship or marital standing.
Their marital status changed to married after the ceremony.
Condition
State of health or physical well-being.
The patient's condition improved after the treatment.
Status
Social or societal standing.
They enjoyed a high status in their community due to their philanthropic work.
Condition
State of living or environmental situation.
The living conditions in the area were greatly affected by the storm.
Status
Progress of an ongoing process.
The status of your application is currently under review.
Condition
The state affecting the outcome or status of something.
Admission is granted on the condition that the applicant passes the entrance exam.
Status
A designation of one's employment situation.
Her status at the company changed from part-time to full-time.
Condition
Terms or stipulations of an agreement.
The conditions of the contract specify delivery deadlines.
Status
Relative social or professional position; standing
An improvement in the status of women
Condition
The state of something with regard to its appearance, quality, or working order
The wiring is in good condition
The bridge is in an extremely dangerous condition
Status
The situation at a particular time during a process
An update on the status of the bill
Condition
The circumstances or factors affecting the way in which people live or work, especially with regard to their well-being
Harsh working conditions
Status
Position relative to that of others; standing
Her status is that of a guest.
Condition
A situation that must exist before something else is possible or permitted
All personnel should comply with this policy as a condition of employment
For a member to borrow money, three conditions have to be met
Status
High standing; prestige
A position of status in the community.
Condition
Have a significant influence on or determine (the manner or outcome of something)
National choices are conditioned by the international political economy
Status
(Law) The legal character or condition of a person or thing
The status of a minor.
Condition
Bring (something) into the desired state for use
A product for conditioning leather
Status
The state of affairs; the situation
What is the status of the negotiations?.
Condition
Apply a conditioner to (the hair)
I condition my hair regularly
Status
A person’s condition, position or standing relative to that of others.
Superstition is highly correlated with economic status.
Condition
Set prior requirements on (something) before it can occur or be done
Congressmen have sought to limit and condition military and economic aid
Status
Or high standing.
Condition
A mode or state of being
We bought a used boat in excellent condition.
Status
A situation or state of affairs.
What's the status of the investigation?
New York is known for its status as a financial center.
Condition
Conditions Existing circumstances
Economic conditions have improved. The news reported the latest weather conditions.
Status
(legal) The legal condition of a person or thing.
Condition
(Archaic) Social position; rank.
Status
The state (of a Canadian First Nations person) of being registered under the Indian Act.
He is a status Indian.
Condition
A state of health
Has the patient's condition deteriorated?.
Status
(social networking) A function of some instant messaging applications, whereby a user may post a message that appears automatically to other users, if they attempt to make contact.
I'm just about to update my status to "busy".
Condition
A state of physical fitness
Have you exercised enough to get back into condition?.
Status
(medicine) Short for status asthmaticus.}}
Condition
A disease or physical ailment
A heart condition.
Status
State; condition; position of affairs.
Condition
One that is indispensable to the appearance or occurrence of another; a prerequisite
Compatibility is a condition of a successful marriage.
Status
The relative position or standing of things or especially persons in a society;
He had the status of a minor
The novel attained the status of a classic
Atheists do not enjoy a favorable position in American life
Condition
One that restricts or modifies another; a qualification
I'll make you a promise but with one condition.
Status
A state at a particular time;
A condition (or state) of disrepair
The current status of the arms negotiations
Condition
(Grammar) The dependent clause of a conditional sentence; protasis.
Condition
(Logic) A proposition on which another proposition depends; the antecedent of a conditional proposition.
Condition
A provision making the effect of a legal instrument contingent on the occurrence of an uncertain future event.
Condition
The event itself.
Condition
To make dependent on a condition or conditions
Use of the cabin is conditioned on your keeping it clean.
Condition
To stipulate as a condition
“He only conditioned that the marriage should not take place before his return” (Jane Austen).
Condition
To cause to be in a certain condition; shape or influence
“Our modern conceptions of historiography [are] conditioned by Western intellectual traditions” (Carol Meyers).
Condition
To accustom (oneself or another) to something; adapt
Had to condition herself to long hours of hard work.
Conditioned the troops to marches at high altitudes.
Condition
To render fit for work or use
Spent weeks conditioning the old car.
Condition
To improve the physical fitness of (the body, for example), as through repeated sessions of strenuous physical activity.
Condition
(Psychology) To cause (an organism) to respond in a specific manner to a previously unrelated stimulus, as in operant conditioning or classical conditioning.
Condition
To treat (the air in a room, for example) by air-conditioning.
Condition
To replace moisture or oils in (hair, for example) by use of a therapeutic product.
Condition
A logical clause or phrase that a conditional statement uses. The phrase can either be true or false.
Condition
A requirement or requisite.
Environmental protection is a condition for sustainability.
What other planets might have the right conditions for life?
The union had a dispute over sick time and other conditions of employment.
Condition
(law) A clause in a contract or agreement indicating that a certain contingency may modify the principal obligation in some way.
Condition
The health status of a medical patient.
My aunt couldn’t walk up the stairs in her condition.
Condition
A certain abnormal state of health; a malady or sickness.
Condition
The state or quality.
National reports on the condition of public education are dismal.
The condition of man can be classified as civilized or uncivilized.
Condition
A particular state of being.
Hypnosis is a peculiar condition of the nervous system.
Steps were taken to ameliorate the condition of slavery.
Security is defined as the condition of not being threatened.
Aging is a condition over which we are powerless.
Condition
(obsolete) The situation of a person or persons, particularly their social and/or economic class, rank.
A man of his condition has no place to make requests.
Condition
To subject to the process of acclimation.
I became conditioned to the absence of seasons in San Diego.
Condition
To subject to different conditions, especially as an exercise.
They were conditioning their shins in their karate class.
Condition
To make dependent on a condition to be fulfilled; to make conditional on.
Condition
(transitive) To place conditions or limitations upon.
Condition
To shape the behaviour of someone to do something.
The children were conditioned to speak up if they had any disagreements.
Condition
(transitive) To treat (the hair) with hair conditioner.
Condition
(transitive) To contract; to stipulate; to agree.
Condition
(transitive) To test or assay, as silk (to ascertain the proportion of moisture it contains).
Condition
To put under conditions; to require to pass a new examination or to make up a specified study, as a condition of remaining in one's class or in college.
To condition a student who has failed in some branch of study
Condition
To impose upon an object those relations or conditions without which knowledge and thought are alleged to be impossible.
Condition
Mode or state of being; state or situation with regard to external circumstances or influences, or to physical or mental integrity, health, strength, etc.; predicament; rank; position, estate.
I am in my conditionA prince, Miranda; I do think, a king.
And O, what man's condition can be worseThan his whom plenty starves and blessings curse?
The new conditions of life.
Condition
Essential quality; property; attribute.
It seemed to us a condition and property of divine powers and beings to be hidden and unseen to others.
Condition
Temperament; disposition; character.
The condition of a saint and the complexion of a devil.
Condition
That which must exist as the occasion or concomitant of something else; that which is requisite in order that something else should take effect; an essential qualification; stipulation; terms specified.
I had as lief take her dowry with this condition, to be whipped at the high cross every morning.
Many are apt to believe remission of sins, but they believe it without the condition of repentance.
Condition
A clause in a contract, or agreement, which has for its object to suspend, to defeat, or in some way to modify, the principal obligation; or, in case of a will, to suspend, revoke, or modify a devise or bequest. It is also the case of a future uncertain event, which may or may not happen, and on the occurrence or non-occurrence of which, the accomplishment, recission, or modification of an obligation or testamentary disposition is made to depend.
Condition
To make terms; to stipulate.
Pay me back my credit,And I'll condition with ye.
Condition
To impose upon an object those relations or conditions without which knowledge and thought are alleged to be impossible.
To think of a thing is to condition.
Condition
To invest with, or limit by, conditions; to burden or qualify by a condition; to impose or be imposed as the condition of.
Seas, that daily gain upon the shore,Have ebb and flow conditioning their march.
Condition
To put under conditions; to require to pass a new examination or to make up a specified study, as a condition of remaining in one's class or in college; as, to condition a student who has failed in some branch of study.
Condition
To test or assay, as silk (to ascertain the proportion of moisture it contains).
Condition
Train; acclimate.
Condition
A state at a particular time;
A condition (or state) of disrepair
The current status of the arms negotiations
Condition
A mode of being or form of existence of a person or thing;
The human condition
Condition
An assumption on which rests the validity or effect of something else
Condition
(usually plural) a statement of what is required as part of an agreement;
The contract set out the conditions of the lease
The terms of the treaty were generous
Condition
The state of (good) health (especially in the phrases `in condition' or `in shape' or `out of condition' or `out of shape')
Condition
Information that should be kept in mind when making a decision;
Another consideration is the time it would take
Condition
The procedure that is varied in order to estimate a variable's effect by comparison with a control condition
Condition
Establish a conditioned response
Condition
Train by instruction and practice; especially to teach self-control;
Parents must discipline their children
Is this dog trained?
Condition
Specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement; make an express demand or provision in an agreement;
The will stipulates that she can live in the house for the rest of her life
The contract stipulates the dates of the payments
Condition
Put into a better state;
He conditions old cars
Condition
Apply conditioner to in order to make smooth and shiny;
I condition my hair after washing it
Common Curiosities
Can status change over time?
Yes, status can change based on new developments, achievements, or changes in one's professional or personal life.
How does condition relate to health?
Condition in health terms refers to a person's physical state, including diseases, disorders, or general well-being.
What does it mean by the condition of a product?
It refers to the product's physical state, including its functionality, appearance, and operational readiness.
What affects a machine's condition?
Factors include usage, maintenance, age, and wear, impacting its operational efficiency and longevity.
Can legal status affect one's rights?
Absolutely, legal status, such as citizenship or visa type, can determine what rights and obligations an individual has in a country.
How do conditions affect contracts?
Conditions in contracts specify the terms under which agreements are valid or actions need to be taken, directly affecting the contract's execution.
What does it mean when a product is in mint condition?
It means the product is in perfect condition, almost as if it were new, with no signs of wear or damage.
What does employment status indicate?
It indicates an individual's current work situation, such as whether they're employed full-time, part-time, or as a contractor.
Is social status important?
Social status can influence one's opportunities, relationships, and how they are perceived by others in society.
What influences an individual's social status?
Factors include occupation, education, income, family background, and societal contributions.
How is a person's condition assessed in a medical context?
Through medical examinations, tests, and assessments, doctors evaluate a person's health condition.
How does one's status affect their behavior?
Individuals might alter their behavior based on their perceived status, seeking to maintain or improve their standing within a group or society.
Why are equipment conditions monitored in industries?
To ensure machinery operates efficiently, prevent breakdowns, and maintain safety standards.
Can the condition of an item affect its value?
Absolutely, items in better condition are typically valued higher, especially in the case of collectibles, vehicles, and real estate.
Can one's living conditions impact their health?
Yes, poor living conditions can adversely affect physical and mental health, while good conditions can promote well-being.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.