English Reference
noun

positioning

n.
US /pəˈzɪʃənɪŋ/ UK /pəzˈɪʃənɪŋ/ po·si·tion·ing

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of putting something in a specific place or position.

    the physical act of placing or arranging an object or person in a particular location or stance.

    Simple

    The careful positioning of the mirrors made the small room look much larger.

    In context

    The precise positioning of the satellite was critical for maintaining a stable communication link with the ground station.

    Usage

    Often used with 'of' to describe the object being moved.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced AcademicTechnical

    how a company presents a product so that people see it in a certain way.

    the strategic process of defining how a brand or product is perceived by a target audience relative to competitors.

    Simple

    The company changed its positioning to attract younger customers.

    In context

    Market positioning requires a deep understanding of consumer psychology and a clear articulation of the product's unique value proposition.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is common in business and marketing contexts; learners should distinguish it from simple physical placement.

For example, positioning a space-related idea, activity, product or policy as a benefit to "all humankind," even if it could damage Earth or the larger cosmic environment, would be starwashing.

Phys.org· 15 Aug 2026

Framework is positioning the Laptop 13 Pro as a “MacBook Pro for Linux users,” and Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is available for the first time as a preinstalled OS for the laptop’s prebuilt edition.

Ars Technica· 27 Jul 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated