commonwealth

noun

com·​mon·​wealth ˈkä-mən-ˌwelth 

also -ˌweltth

1

: a nation, state, or other political unit: such as

a

: one founded on law and united by compact or tacit agreement of the people for the common good

b

: one in which supreme authority is vested in the people

c

: republic

2

: a state of the U.S.

—used officially of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia

3

often Commonwealth : a political unit having local autonomy but voluntarily united with the U.S.

—used officially of Puerto Rico and of the Northern Mariana Islands

4

often Commonwealth : an association of self-governing autonomous states more or less loosely associated in a common allegiance (as to the British crown)

5

Commonwealth

a

: the English state from the death of Charles I in 1649 to the Restoration in 1660

b

: protectorate sense 1b

6

Commonwealth : a federal union of constituent states

—used officially of Australia

7

archaic : commonweal sense 2

Synonyms of commonwealth

• state
• nation
• country

Examples of commonwealth in a Sentence

laws that will benefit all the citizens of the commonwealth

Recent Examples on the Web

Prosecutors for the commonwealth of Massachusetts must now decide whether to retry Clancy. — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2026

The Pennsylvania State Police held an event Thursday that had only been held one other time in the commonwealth, but on the other side of the state. — Josh Taylor, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

Health officials have said Kentucky is experiencing the largest measles outbreak reported in the commonwealth since 1991. — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Sep. 2026

Shortly after her arrival at her grandmother’s, in 1900, Australia transforms from six British colonies into a single, largely self-governing commonwealth. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7

Rhymes for commonwealth

• telehealth
• bridewealth
• health
• stealth
• wealth

Kids Definition

commonwealth

noun

com·​mon·​wealth -ˌwelth 

1

: a political unit (as a nation or state)

2

: a state of the U.S.

—used officially of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia

Legal Definition

commonwealth

noun

com·​mon·​wealth ˈkä-mən-ˌwelth 

1

: a nation, state, or other political unit: as

a

: one founded on law and united by compact or tacit agreement by the people for the common good

b

: one in which supreme authority is vested in the people

c

: republic

2

: a state of the U.S.

—used officially of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia

3

often capitalized : an association of self-governing autonomous states more or less loosely associated in a common allegiance (as to the British crown)

4

often capitalized : a political unit having local autonomy but voluntarily united with the U.S.

—used officially of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands