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
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Grace Fu has served as Singapore's environmental chief since 2020, allocating nearly $4 billion to coastal resilience projects in the low-lying city-state while leading international negotiations on climate policy.
—
Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
But Netanyahu’s rhetoric, if impolitic, was resonant: the image of Israel as a militarized city-state will be hard to dispel.
—Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Consequently, Persia abandoned its westward expansion, while various Greek city-states formed a tenuous alliance that lasted nearly 50 years.
—Debbie Felton, The Conversation, 8 Aug. 2025
When Singapore gained independence in 1965 after its separation from Malaysia, few expected the small city-state — which turns 60 on Saturday — to survive.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 8 Aug. 2025
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Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
But Netanyahu’s rhetoric, if impolitic, was resonant: the image of Israel as a militarized city-state will be hard to dispel.
—Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Consequently, Persia abandoned its westward expansion, while various Greek city-states formed a tenuous alliance that lasted nearly 50 years.
—Debbie Felton, The Conversation, 8 Aug. 2025
When Singapore gained independence in 1965 after its separation from Malaysia, few expected the small city-state — which turns 60 on Saturday — to survive.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for city-state
Cite this Entry
“City-state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/city-state. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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