plural nations
1
a(1)
: nationality sense 2b
… [three Slav peoples] … forged into a Yugoslavia without really fusing into a Yugoslav nation.—
Hans Kohn
Hans Kohn
(2)
: a politically organized nationality
(3)
in the Bible
: a non-Jewish nationality
Why do the nations conspire …?—Psalms 2:1 (Revised Standard Version)
Psalms 2:1 (Revised Standard Version)
b
: a community of people composed of one or more nationalities and possessing a more or less defined territory and government
Canada is a nation with a written constitution …—B. K. Sandwell
B. K. Sandwell
c
: a territorial division containing a body of people of one or more nationalities and usually characterized by relatively large size and independent status
… a nation of vast size with a small population …—Mary K. Hammond
Mary K. Hammond2
archaic
: group, aggregation
3
: a tribe or federation of tribes (as of Indigenous peoples)
a member of the Cherokee Nation
the Seminole Nation in Oklahoma
Examples of nation in a Sentence
It's one of the richest nations in the world.
the largest state in the nation
The President will speak to the nation tonight.
The entire nation is celebrating the victory.
Recent Examples on the Web
America became the most powerful, prosperous nation on earth because of immigrants not in spite of them.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026
The Tar Heels won their third in a row, with Wilson adding three more dunks to what was already his nation-leading total of 62.
—Arkansas Online, 1 Feb. 2026
Ferguson’s opposition to this year’s gerrymandering proposal preserves his place as the type of leader who can push our nation toward a better future.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2026
For four years, the law was ignored to the detriment of our nation’s sovereignty.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nation
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.
Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026
The Tar Heels won their third in a row, with Wilson adding three more dunks to what was already his nation-leading total of 62.
—Arkansas Online, 1 Feb. 2026
Ferguson’s opposition to this year’s gerrymandering proposal preserves his place as the type of leader who can push our nation toward a better future.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2026
For four years, the law was ignored to the detriment of our nation’s sovereignty.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nation
Cite this Entry
“Nation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nation. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nation
noun
na·tion
ˈnā-shən 
2
: a community of people composed of one or more nationalities usually with its own territory and government
3
: the territory of a nation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
