your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you); "whatever my fortune may be"; "deserved a better fate"; "has a happy lot"; "the luck of the Irish"; "a victim of circumstances"; "success that was her portion"

conditions or situation providing the context for an action of event The respondents were, in the circumstances, under a duty to the appelant to provide and require the use of safety goggles. circumstantial (adj)

a person's financial situation (good or bad); "he found himself in straitened circumstances"

Circumstances (e.g., family stress, job loss) may have "caused" consumption of drugs at first; but once addiction has set in they are no longer the cause of ongoing consumption

the state (usually personal) with regard to wealth; "each person was helped according to his circumstances"

The set of personal conditions, such as age, employment, income and relationship status, which a lender may use to decide an individual's creditworthiness.