sovereignty
noun
sov·er·eign·ty
ˈsä-v(ə-)rən-tē 
-vərn-tē
also ˈsə-
variants
or less commonly sovranty
plural sovereignties also sovranties
1
a
: supreme power especially over a body politic
b
: freedom from external control : autonomy sense 1
c
: controlling influence
2
: one that is sovereign
especially
: an autonomous state : autonomy sense 2
3
obsolete
: supreme excellence or an example of it
Examples of sovereignty in a Sentence
Nor was the sovereignty of the Native Hawaiian race recognized at the time Hawaii became a state.
—
Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 18 July 2005
Cesaire's wrenching chant of self-affirmation announced a new era of intellectual and cultural sovereignty for black writers in French.
—Lila Azam Zanganeh, New York Times Book Review, 12 June 2005
The position plunged him into a supremely complicated religious and political game. Throughout Europe the old order of divinely sanctioned kingdoms was battling models of popular sovereignty and citizenship inspired by the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and the adolescent U.S.
—David Van Biema, Time, 4 Sept. 2000
upon leaving home she felt that she had achieved sovereignty for the first time in her life
as parts of the same sovereignty, the states should not enact laws intended to harm one another economically
Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 18 July 2005
Cesaire's wrenching chant of self-affirmation announced a new era of intellectual and cultural sovereignty for black writers in French.
—Lila Azam Zanganeh, New York Times Book Review, 12 June 2005
The position plunged him into a supremely complicated religious and political game. Throughout Europe the old order of divinely sanctioned kingdoms was battling models of popular sovereignty and citizenship inspired by the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and the adolescent U.S.
—David Van Biema, Time, 4 Sept. 2000
upon leaving home she felt that she had achieved sovereignty for the first time in her life
as parts of the same sovereignty, the states should not enact laws intended to harm one another economically
Recent Examples on the Web
The project is supported by public funding aimed at strengthening the hydrogen economy and energy sovereignty.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 21 Dec. 2025
Water management will remain entirely under Iraqi sovereignty, al-Mufti told CNN.
—Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
The attack sparked outrage from Gulf Arab states, which called it an attack on Qatar's sovereignty.
—Aya Batrawy, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025
In addition to justifying the party’s authority at home, this narrative of historical grievance provides the foundation for an assertive foreign policy, galvanizing Beijing’s recurring appeals to sovereignty and noninterference and its claims of affinity with countries across the developing world.
—Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sovereignty
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Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 21 Dec. 2025
Water management will remain entirely under Iraqi sovereignty, al-Mufti told CNN.
—Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
The attack sparked outrage from Gulf Arab states, which called it an attack on Qatar's sovereignty.
—Aya Batrawy, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025
In addition to justifying the party’s authority at home, this narrative of historical grievance provides the foundation for an assertive foreign policy, galvanizing Beijing’s recurring appeals to sovereignty and noninterference and its claims of affinity with countries across the developing world.
—Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sovereignty
Cite this Entry
“Sovereignty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sovereignty. Accessed 22 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sovereignty
noun
sov·er·eign·ty
ˈsäv-(ə-)rən-tē
ˈsäv-ərn-,
ˈsəv-
plural sovereignties
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