solution

solution — noun

1. A thing that fixes a problem or answers a difficult question, so that the diffic

1.nounA2
Definition

A thing that fixes a problem or answers a difficult question, so that the difficulty goes away or gets smaller.

Example

Nikhil worked on the maths problem for an hour before he found the solution.

solution + found/discovered + problem

The city council is looking for a long-term solution to the traffic problem.

solution + to + noun phrase (problem)

Common collocations
  • find a solution
  • come up with a solution
  • offer a solution
  • provide a solution
  • long-term solution
  • short-term solution
  • simple solution
  • perfect solution
  • solution to a problem
  • solution for a crisis
Synonyms
  • answer

    More general; can be as short as a single word or number, while 'solution' often refers to a method or plan.

  • remedy

    More common for health or legal contexts; suggests correcting something that is wrong.

  • fix

    Informal; emphasises a practical, often quick repair rather than a full resolution.

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

solution + to + noun phrase

solution + for + noun phrase

find/come up with + solution

Usage Note

Often used with the preposition 'to' or 'for' to indicate what problem is being solved. 'Solution to' is more common than 'solution for' in standard English, though both are acceptable.

Common Mistakes

I need a solution of this problem.
I need a solution to this problem.
Use 'to' not 'of' after 'solution' when referring to the problem.
We found solution.
We found a solution.
'Solution' in this sense is a countable noun and needs a determiner.

2. A liquid combined evenly with another substance, forming a uniform mix where the

2.nounB2
Definition

A liquid combined evenly with another substance, forming a uniform mix where the added substance can no longer be seen on its own.

Example

Sayaka prepared a sugar solution by stirring sugar into warm water until it dissolved completely.

solution made by dissolving substance in liquid

The lab technician asked Walid to store the saline solution in a clean glass bottle.

saline solution — common term for salt water mixture

Common collocations
  • salt solution
  • sugar solution
  • saline solution
  • aqueous solution
  • concentrated solution
  • dilute solution
  • in solution
  • solution of sodium chloride
Synonyms
  • mixture

    Broader term; a mixture does not have to be homogeneous or involve dissolving.

  • blend

    Less scientific; used for combining things that keep some of their original properties.

Grammar Patterns

solution + of + substance + in + liquid

in solution

Usage Note

In chemistry, 'a solution' always refers to a homogeneous mixture. The substance that dissolves is called the 'solute' and the liquid it dissolves into is called the 'solvent'. This sense is uncountable when referring to the state of being dissolved (e.g. 'in solution').

Common Mistakes

I made a sugar solution by mixing sugar in water without stirring.
I made a sugar solution by stirring sugar into warm water until it dissolved.
A solution requires the substance to be fully dissolved, not just mixed.

3. The physical change that takes place when a solid, gas, or another liquid breaks

3.nounB2
Definition

The physical change that takes place when a solid, gas, or another liquid breaks apart and spreads evenly inside a liquid.

Example

The solution of the powdered medicine in water takes about two minutes at room temperature.

solution + of + substance — the process of dissolving

Lucas observed that heating the liquid speeds up the solution of the solid particles.

speed up + solution — accelerates dissolving process

Common collocations
  • rate of solution
  • solution of a substance
  • heat of solution
  • process of solution
Synonyms
  • dissolving

    More common and less formal; works in both everyday and scientific contexts.

  • dissolution

    Even more formal than 'solution'; often used in legal or institutional contexts too.

Grammar Patterns

solution + of + substance

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used in technical or scientific writing. In everyday English, speakers prefer the verb 'dissolve' or the phrase 'dissolving process' instead of the noun 'solution' for this meaning.

Common Mistakes

The solution of sugar in water makes sweet water.' (when meaning the process)
The dissolving of sugar in water produces a sweet liquid.
The process sense of 'solution' is formal and rare in everyday speech; use 'dissolving' instead.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to ways of dealing with a problem, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Solution' is the broadest term — it can be a plan, a product, an action, or even a mathematical result that resolves a difficulty. 'Answer' is narrower: it usually refers to a direct response to a question or puzzle, often a single piece of information rather than a multi-step plan. ('The answer to the riddle was \"shadow.\"') 'Remedy' carries a sense of correction or cure, most naturally used for health, legal, or systemic problems — it suggests something is being put right. ('A remedy for the unfair policy.') 'Fix' is informal and practical, suggesting a quick or hands-on repair rather than a thorough resolution. ('A temporary fix for the leaky pipe.') When choosing among them, consider whether you need a formal plan ('solution'), a correct response ('answer'), a curative measure ('remedy'), or a practical patch ('fix').

solution ↗answer ↗remedy ↗fix ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in solution
  • come up with a solution
  • work out a solution
  • reach a solution

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'solution' comes from the Latin 'solutio' meaning 'a loosening or unfastening', from the verb 'solvere' (to loosen, to free). It entered English in the 1300s from Old French, originally with the chemical meaning of dissolving a solid into a liquid. By the 1600s, English speakers had extended the idea of 'loosening' a problem to mean 'solving' it — the everyday sense we use most often today. The mathematical sense (the value that satisfies an equation) appeared around the same time.