citizenship
noun
cit·i·zen·ship
ˈsi-tə-zən-ˌship 
also -sən-
1
: the status of being a citizen
He was granted U.S. citizenship.
2
a
: membership in a community (such as a college)
b
: the quality of an individual's response to membership in a community
The students are learning the value of good citizenship.
Examples of citizenship in a Sentence
She applied for Polish citizenship.
He was granted U.S. citizenship.
The students are learning the value of good citizenship.
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite confirming my citizenship, the way I was treated left me feeling traumatized, humiliated, degraded, and unheard.
—
Miami Herald, 6 Dec. 2025
According to the State Department, in the last five years, the United States has admitted about 9,000 Somali refugees, many of whom later became eligible to apply for green cards and eventually for citizenship.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 5 Dec. 2025
Instead, the issue before the justices was the scope of relief granted by lower courts hearing the birthright citizenship cases, which had issued nationwide injunctions preventing the administration from enforcing the policy.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
The process of applying for legal status or citizenship involves regular recordkeeping and documentation—proof of an immigrant’s day-to-day existence that Xu picks up on visually by borrowing and blowing up some of that proof, such as keepsakes and selfies.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for citizenship
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Miami Herald, 6 Dec. 2025
According to the State Department, in the last five years, the United States has admitted about 9,000 Somali refugees, many of whom later became eligible to apply for green cards and eventually for citizenship.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 5 Dec. 2025
Instead, the issue before the justices was the scope of relief granted by lower courts hearing the birthright citizenship cases, which had issued nationwide injunctions preventing the administration from enforcing the policy.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
The process of applying for legal status or citizenship involves regular recordkeeping and documentation—proof of an immigrant’s day-to-day existence that Xu picks up on visually by borrowing and blowing up some of that proof, such as keepsakes and selfies.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for citizenship
Cite this Entry
“Citizenship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/citizenship. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
citizenship
noun
cit·i·zen·ship
ˈsit-ə-zən-ship
1
: possession of the rights and privileges of a citizen
2
: the quality of a person's response to membership in a community
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