city-state
noun
ˈsi-tē-ˌstāt 
also -ˈstāt
: an autonomous state consisting of a city and surrounding territory
Examples of city-state in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Concerns are most pronounced in Singapore, a multiracial city-state with a majority ethnic-Chinese population that is increasingly sympathetic to Beijing.
—
Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
In the letter Tuesday night, a lawyer representing Gov. Kathy Hochul faulted Mayor Eric Adams’s management of New York’s migrant crisis in sharp terms, puncturing the appearance of city-state harmony that the two leaders have spent much of their tenures cultivating.
—Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2023
With distinctive landmarks, backdrops and atmosphere, the Asian city-state is the ideal location to create a humorous addition to the Tom and Jerry canon.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 25 July 2023
Over the last decade, Singapore, a city-state with a population of five million, has quietly become an important partner in this regard.
—Jude Blanchette, Foreign Affairs, 24 July 2023
Just how the small city-state of less than 6 million people has come to be the preferred venue for top artists is no mystery.
—Time, 22 June 2023
Russia and the West, laid low by these neo-crusades, have disintegrated into small city-states (California and Moscovia are now sovereign nations), and an air of medieval disorder prevails.
—Jennifer Wilson, Harper's Magazine, 11 May 2022
Singapore The upscale city-state of Singapore often ranks among the best countries for expats to live and work, thanks to job security, high-quality schools, and one of the world's most efficient public transport systems that can get you all over the city in a jiffy.
—Lilly Graves, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2023
At the Shangri-La Dialogue, a leading Asian security forum hosted in this Southeast Asian city-state that concluded over the weekend, that dissonance was palpable.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 6 June 2023
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Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
In the letter Tuesday night, a lawyer representing Gov. Kathy Hochul faulted Mayor Eric Adams’s management of New York’s migrant crisis in sharp terms, puncturing the appearance of city-state harmony that the two leaders have spent much of their tenures cultivating.
—Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2023
With distinctive landmarks, backdrops and atmosphere, the Asian city-state is the ideal location to create a humorous addition to the Tom and Jerry canon.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 25 July 2023
Over the last decade, Singapore, a city-state with a population of five million, has quietly become an important partner in this regard.
—Jude Blanchette, Foreign Affairs, 24 July 2023
Just how the small city-state of less than 6 million people has come to be the preferred venue for top artists is no mystery.
—Time, 22 June 2023
Russia and the West, laid low by these neo-crusades, have disintegrated into small city-states (California and Moscovia are now sovereign nations), and an air of medieval disorder prevails.
—Jennifer Wilson, Harper's Magazine, 11 May 2022
Singapore The upscale city-state of Singapore often ranks among the best countries for expats to live and work, thanks to job security, high-quality schools, and one of the world's most efficient public transport systems that can get you all over the city in a jiffy.
—Lilly Graves, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2023
At the Shangri-La Dialogue, a leading Asian security forum hosted in this Southeast Asian city-state that concluded over the weekend, that dissonance was palpable.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 6 June 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'city-state.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1840, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“City-state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/city-state. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
city-state
nounˈsit-ē-ˈstāt,
-ˌstāt
: a self-governing state consisting of a city and surrounding territory
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