What does solution mean?
A solution is a proposed answer, method, or course of action for dealing with a problem, difficulty, or need. It is among the most familiar words for something that resolves a difficulty: a person may search for a solution, propose one, implement one, or reject one as impractical. The word is also established in chemistry, where it denotes a mixture in which one substance is dissolved in another, such as a saline or sugar solution. In general use, “solution” is neutral and direct, suggesting that the difficulty can be addressed through an appropriate answer or method. Although it can sometimes mean the completed process of settling a problem, that sense is less common than the focus on the answer or method itself. The term’s usefulness lies in its clarity: unlike “fix,” it need not imply a quick or makeshift remedy, and unlike “answer,” it can describe a strategy involving several coordinated steps.
nounA way of dealing with a problem, difficulty, or need by providing an answer, method, or course of action. In chemistry, it also denotes a mixture in which a substance is dissolved in another.
- A method, answer, or course of action intended to overcome a problem or satisfy a need.
- The process or result of resolving a problem.
- In chemistry, a homogeneous mixture consisting of a substance dissolved in another.
"The committee searched for a practical solution that would reduce congestion without restricting traffic."
"After several unsuccessful attempts, she finally found a solution that worked."
"The chemist prepared a saline solution for the experiment."
The plural is used for distinct answers, methods, or chemical mixtures.
"The team developed several solutions and compared them carefully."
From the Latin for “loosen,” solution began as the act of untying a problem—and it still works that way.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does solution come from?
The word entered English in the late Middle English period through French, from Latin solutio, a word related to solvere, “to loosen” or “untie.” The literal idea was that of loosening something bound or disentangling a difficulty. Its later senses developed from the notion of solving a problem, while the chemical sense arose from the related idea of a substance being dissolved or “loosened” into another substance.
Related word forms
How solution is actually used
“Solution” is neutral in register and is commonly countable when it refers to an answer or method. In technical contexts, especially chemistry, it can refer to a homogeneous mixture or to the state of being dissolved.
Easily confused with solution
A solution is a method or answer for dealing with a problem, whereas a resolution can also be a formal decision or the process of resolving something.