nation-state
noun
na·tion-state
ˈnā-shən-ˈstāt 
-ˌstāt
: a form of political organization under which a relatively homogeneous people inhabits a sovereign state
especially
: a state containing one as opposed to several nationalities
Examples of nation-state in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During that conflict, their ancestral homes were nation-states.
—
Ibrahim Al-Marashi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
This was the era of decolonization, when nation-states delivered one-third of humanity from the humiliation of imperial rule, restoring political autonomy and dignity where they had long been removed.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The tradition endures even as most people quietly agree that art probably shouldn’t be co-opted by the agendas of nation-states.
—Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
Particularly in authoritarian or nondemocratic nation-states, journalists can be jailed or harassed for doing their job of reporting on abuses of power.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
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Ibrahim Al-Marashi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
This was the era of decolonization, when nation-states delivered one-third of humanity from the humiliation of imperial rule, restoring political autonomy and dignity where they had long been removed.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The tradition endures even as most people quietly agree that art probably shouldn’t be co-opted by the agendas of nation-states.
—Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
Particularly in authoritarian or nondemocratic nation-states, journalists can be jailed or harassed for doing their job of reporting on abuses of power.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nation-state
Cite this Entry
“Nation-state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nation-state. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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