case
kays
Case (noun) means a particular situation, instance, or set of facts. Example: “In this case, it's better to wait and see.”
noun
1
A particular situation, instance, or set of facts.
"In this case, it's better to wait and see."
"She studied several cases of successful small businesses."
"Each case is different, so the doctor looks at every patient carefully."
2
A matter under legal, medical, or professional investigation.
"The detective was assigned a new case."
"The court will hear the case next month."
"The lawyer spent months preparing her client's case before the trial."
3
A container, box, or covering designed to hold or protect something.
"He packed his guitar into its case before the flight."
"She keeps her glasses in a hard case."
"She slid the phone into a protective case before dropping it into her bag."
4
Grammar: the form a noun, pronoun, or adjective takes to show its role in a sentence.
""Him" is the objective case of "he"."
"German nouns change their form depending on the case they are in."
"Latin has more cases than English, which makes its grammar harder to learn."
verb
1
To pack something into a case, or to observe a place closely before a robbery.
"The thieves cased the bank for a week before the heist."
"The burglars cased the empty house for days, watching when the owners left."
"The technician carefully cased the delicate instruments before loading the van."
How to use case
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a specific situation/example (including legal or medical ones) or a box/covering that holds something.
Common mistake
"Case" the box-word and "case" the situation-word look identical but come from separate Latin roots — a coincidence, not a shared meaning.
Common pairings
in that case
a case of
make a case for
phone case
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like case.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- cases
- Third person singular
- cases
- Past tense
- cased
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
In this _____, it's better to wait and see.
Etymology
Two words merged into one spelling: the "event" sense is from Old French cas ("an event"), from Latin casus ("a fall, an occurrence"); the "container" sense is from Anglo-Norman casse, from Latin capsa ("box").
Synonyms
View more →
instance
situation
example
occurrence
circumstance
scenario
matter
casing
caseful
causa
incase
encase
Related words
Rhymes for case
See all rhymes for case →Frequently asked questions
What does “case” mean?
The word “case” means a particular situation, instance, or set of facts. In plain terms, either a specific situation/example (including legal or medical ones) or a box/covering that holds something.
How do you pronounce “case”?
“Case” is pronounced kays (/keɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “case” in a sentence?
Here is “case” used in a sentence: “In this case, it's better to wait and see.”
What is another word for “case”?
Words with a similar meaning to “case” include befall and grammatical case.
What part of speech is “case”?
Depending on how it is used, “case” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “case” come from?
The word “case” comes from Latin. Two words merged into one spelling: the "event" sense is from Old French cas ("an event"), from Latin casus ("a fall, an occurrence"); the "container" sense is from Anglo-Norman casse, from Latin capsa ("box").
Is “case” a common word?
“Case” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “case” have?
“Case” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a particular situation, instance, or set of facts.
What is the difference between a 'case' and an 'instance'?
The two overlap and are often interchangeable. An 'instance' is simply one occurrence or example of something. A 'case' tends to add context — a particular situation with its own set of facts to weigh, as in a legal or medical case. Every case is an instance, but a case usually implies more detail.
What are the different meanings of 'case'?
Beyond a situation or instance, 'case' can mean a legal action decided in court, a medical occurrence of an illness ('a case of flu'), a container or protective box ('a phone case'), or a grammatical form of a noun. The surrounding words usually make clear which meaning is intended.
What does 'in that case' mean?
'In that case' means 'if that is the situation' or 'given those facts.' It links a response to a condition just mentioned: 'You're tired? In that case, let's rest.' Related expressions include 'in any case,' meaning regardless, and 'in case,' meaning as a precaution against something.
What is an example of 'case' meaning a situation?
'In this case, the usual rules don't apply' treats 'case' as a specific situation. 'It's a classic case of poor planning' uses it as an instance of something. A 'case-by-case' decision means judging each situation separately, on its own particular set of facts rather than by one blanket rule.
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing case in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
Goldstein, 56, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, co-founded SCOTUSblog and argued more than 40 cases before the Supreme Court before retiring in 2023 at age 52.
From
Politico · Jul 24, 2026
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include case:
