political science

noun

: a social science concerned chiefly with the description and analysis of political and especially governmental institutions and processes
political scientist noun

Examples of political science in a Sentence

a degree in political science
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University in California, said that will put more pressure on the three other states identified as mandatory flips, such as North Carolina, which Trump won by about 3 percentage points. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 9 July 2026 Rice University political science professor Mark Jones flagged HD 94 before the meme story broke. — Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026 Thad Kousser, a political science professor at the University of California-San Diego, said Becerra couldn’t take the November election for granted despite Republicans’ long statewide losing streak, and would need resources to run his campaign. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026 Kiros went on to study political science and economics at Washington College in Maryland. — Philip Wang, Time, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for political science

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of political science was in 1606

Rhymes for political science

See All Rhymes for political science

Browse Nearby Words

political rights
political science
political scientist
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Cite this Entry

“Political science.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/political%20science. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

political science

noun
: the study of government and politics
political scientist noun

More from Merriam-Webster on political science

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about political science

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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