nation-state

noun

na·​tion-state ˈnā-shən-ˈstāt How to pronounce nation-state (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One is that corporations like Prodigy and Weyland-Yutani act like enormous nation-states, controlling vast swaths of territory and commanding armies. Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025 As cyberattacks from nation-state actors continue to escalate, the Pentagon is steadily shifting a greater portion of its IT and cybersecurity budget toward these firms, viewing them as essential partners in modern warfare. Steven Dudash, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025 The campaign was sophisticated enough that experts suspect a nation-state was behind it. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2025 During India’s independence movement and post-independence nation building, preserving this diversity within the confines of a single nation-state was a difficult but essential political project. Yamini Aiyar, Foreign Affairs, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for nation-state

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nation-state was in 1895

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Cite this Entry

“Nation-state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nation-state. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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