client state

noun

: a country that is economically, politically, or militarily dependent on another country

Examples of client state in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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English focused on Poland because the country had a long history of underground revolutionary culture; when the USSR turned independent Poland into a client state known as the People’s Republic of Poland, the Poles already knew how to go underground to fight back. Valorie Castellanos Clark, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025 In recent weeks, an air of crisis has enveloped the United States’ relationship with Israel—Washington’s closest ally and client state in the Middle East. Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2025 To secure an export corridor for Sudanese goods, Abu Dhabi has sent cargo flights full of powerful weapons, drones, and armored vehicles to the RSF via its client state (and Sudan’s western neighbor), Chad. Mai Hassan, Foreign Affairs, 30 Apr. 2025 In the early stages of the Cold War, Hungary, a client state controlled by the USSR, rebelled, fueled by student demonstrations arguing for secession and freedom of speech. Daniel Seifert, JSTOR Daily, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for client state

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of client state was in 1803

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Cite this Entry

“Client state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/client%20state. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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