sovereign immunity

noun

: the absolute immunity of a sovereign government from being sued
The ancient common law doctrine of sovereign immunity holds that the government cannot be sued without the government's consent.David Burnham

Examples of sovereign immunity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Because of the sovereign immunity cap, Joynt went after the county’s insurer, Star Insurance Company, for most of the money. Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sovereign immunity was in 1780

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Cite this Entry

“Sovereign immunity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sovereign%20immunity. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

Legal Definition

sovereign immunity

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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