nation-states

noun

plural of nation-state
as in nations
a form of political organization in which a group of people who share the same history, traditions, or language live in a particular area under one government the rise of European nation-states in the thirteenth century

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of nation-states During that conflict, their ancestral homes were nation-states. — Ibrahim Al-Marashi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026 In the world of Berle and Means, firms operated mostly within the boundaries of nation-states. — Mary Johnstone-Louis, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 The tradition endures even as most people quietly agree that art probably shouldn’t be co-opted by the agendas of nation-states. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026 While these capabilities are intended to help companies detect and fix flaws, they could also be weaponized by hackers, including nation-states, to find and exploit vulnerabilities. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026 That act, of amending Jefferson’s original draft, edit upon edit, has been the story not only of new nation-states declaring their independence but also of people within nation-states. — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 Particularly in authoritarian or nondemocratic nation-states, journalists can be jailed or harassed for doing their job of reporting on abuses of power. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026 The modern Zionist political movement began in the late 19th century and gave political expression to our connection to the land of Israel in a modern world shaped by nation-states. — Elad Strohmayer, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026 In the West, nation-states produced an astonishing expansion of equality, democracy and material security. — Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nation-states
  1. nations
  2. kingdoms
  3. monarchies
  4. empires
Noun
  • Some two dozen nations have sent some 3,000 emergency personnel to Venezuela.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • The move by the group of oil-producing nations and its allies will add to the supply of fuel in global markets, which analysts warn are poised for a glut as oil prices fall.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of nations
Noun
  • Mysore was one of the most powerful kingdoms in southern India; its military was among the more modernized and effective fighting forces in the hodgepodge of principalities that made up India’s political map at the time.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 2 July 2026
  • Even though the monarchy no longer exists in Rwanda, so revered are the cows that the traditional gifting and exchanging them among kingdoms has been embraced by Kagame.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 June 2026
Definition of kingdoms
Noun
  • The Belgian and Dutch monarchies seem to share a warm bond as well as a border, and Queen Mathilde and Queen Máxima are known to be friends.
    — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
  • Even the Gulf monarchies who’ve made their fortunes on oil and gas exports have come around to the idea that this is not a sustainable strategy, yet Trump won’t hear it.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 17 June 2026
Definition of monarchies
Noun
  • After the United States was founded in 1776, leaders like Thomas Jefferson chose to emulate classical architecture when building its Washington, DC, capital as a nod to the democratic ideals of the Greek and Roman empires.
    — Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 4 July 2026
  • Times change and empires crumble, yet the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest endures.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of empires

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Cite this Entry

“Nation-states.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nation-states. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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