Department of State

noun phrase

: the part of the U.S. government that is responsible for how the U.S. deals with other countries

Examples of Department of State in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Before the judicial appointment, Tanenbaum worked as general counsel for the Florida House and general counsel for the Florida Department of State. —Jim Saunders, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of State for comment. —Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025

Flu activity is higher than usual for this point in the winter, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. —Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Dec. 2025

According to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services, kindergarten vaccination rates against pertussis were estimated to have dropped from almost 94% in the 2023–24 school year to less than 90% in 2024–25 in Dallas. —Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025

Rhymes for Department of State

• borosilicate
• decontaminate
• deoxycholate
• deteriorate
• differentiate
• diisocyanate
• dinoflagellate
• excommunicate
• incapacitate
• insubordinate
• intercorporate
• interpenetrate

Legal Definition

Department of State

Agency

federal executive division responsible for carrying out U.S. foreign policy. It is the president's principal means of conducting treaty negotiations and effecting agreements with foreign nations. Under its control are the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, seven bureaus of political affairs, the U.S. Foreign Service (including 270 embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions, and numerous subagencies), and various offices of diplomatic security, foreign intelligence, policy analysis, international narcotics control, protocol, and passport and medical services. The department's legal adviser advises the secretary of state on all matters of international law arising in the conduct of foreign relations.