1. the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood
2. the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning

Examples

• To understand the joke, you need to know the context in which it was told.
• The historical context of the war helps explain the political decisions.
• Without context, her comment seemed rude, but she was actually being sarcastic.
• The word has different meanings depending on the context.
• You took my words out of context and misunderstood what I meant.
• The social context of the 1960s influenced the music of that era.
• Please provide more context so I can better understand the situation.