the States

plural noun

informal
: the United States of America
My cousin from England is coming to visit me in the States.

Examples of the States in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Crafting a hotel bar is, apparently, a lost art—way too much attention is paid in the States to making the space archly designed. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026 These, as far as Jack knew, were made by only one company, in Taiwan, and had to be shipped to the States. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 While Sabrina’s identical twin sister, Virginia, was arranged to marry a Chinese American man in the States who spoke no Cantonese, Sabrina wouldn’t let her parents stop their love— or stop her from getting pregnant. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 This is something Rodriguez, who is half Puerto Rican and half Dominican, born and raised in the States, also personally relates to. — Johanna Ferreira, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the States

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Cite this Entry

“The States.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20States. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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