state

noun, often attributive

\ ˈstāt

Definition of state

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : mode or condition of being a state of readiness

b(1) : condition of mind or temperament in a highly nervous state

(2) : a condition of abnormal tension or excitement

2a : a condition or stage in the physical being of something insects in the larval state the gaseous state of water

b : any of various conditions characterized by definite quantities (as of energy, angular momentum, or magnetic moment) in which an atomic system may exist

3a : social position especially : high rank

b(1) : elaborate or luxurious style of living

(2) : formal dignity : pomp —usually used with in

4a : a body of persons constituting a special class in a society : estate sense 3

b states plural : the members or representatives of the governing classes assembled in a legislative body

c obsolete : a person of high rank (as a noble)

5a : a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory especially : one that is sovereign

b : the political organization of such a body of people

c : a government or politically organized society having a particular character a police state the welfare state

6 : the operations or concerns of the government of a country

7a : one of the constituent units of a nation having a federal government the fifty states

b States plural : The United States of America

8 : the territory of a state

state

verb

stated; stating

Definition of state (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to set by regulation or authority

2 : to express the particulars of especially in words : report broadly : to express in words

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Examples of state in a Sentence

Noun

Happiness is the state or condition of being happy. We must keep our armed forces in a constant state of readiness. She meditates to achieve a higher state of being. The building is in such a sorry state that it's hardly worth fixing. water in a gaseous state the solid and liquid states the member states of the United Nations Security Council

Verb

The lawyer will state the facts of the case. He stated his name in full. I was merely stating an opinion. “This is a difficult situation,” he stated simply. Please state the purpose of your visit. I'd like to state for the record that I disagree with the board's decision. For the reasons stated above, I hereby withdraw from the competition. The rules clearly state that you can only draw one card.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Here’s how to do each move: Demoing the moves below is Rachel Denis, a powerlifter who competes with USA Powerlifting and holds multiple New York state powerlifting records. — Amy Marturana, SELF, "An Easy and Effective Dumbbell Arm, Back, and Chest Workout," 9 Feb. 2019 After all, the glitzy Florida resort town is known for drawing in billionaires, movie stars, and even heads of state thanks to its picturesque beaches, blue-chip real estate, and swirling social scene. — Adam Rathe, Town & Country, "Palm Beach's Norton Museum Gets a Renovation by Norman Foster," 5 Feb. 2019 After assessing his wounds, Archie tries to bandage himself up a little, but his loss of blood leads him to enter a hallucinogenic state. — Alison Caporimo, Seventeen, "Did Archie Really Die On "Riverdale"'s Mid-Season Premiere?," 17 Jan. 2019 Tonight's installment will also feature the duo—but in a much happier state than in the previous week. — Jennifer Aldrich, Country Living, "'Blue Bloods' Fans All Want More of One Thing From the Show," 11 Jan. 2019 Who did great coverage of the California state house? — Eric Johnson, Recode, "Full Q&A: Ezra Klein and Kara Swisher on the future of journalism," 12 Dec. 2018 Her name can be found on maps today: Lake Sacajawea, in Washington state, and Lake Sakakawea, in North Dakota, are named after her. — Ruth Hopkins, Teen Vogue, "Sacagawea Changed the Course of History and Deserves Respect," 11 Jan. 2019 The good news, however, is that this means that Avrame kits are now available in all 50 states. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "Affordable A-frame house can be built by just two people," 11 Jan. 2019 Simply put, capitalism is a social and economic system where a country's means of production, trade, and industry is controlled by private companies and owners, as opposed to the state. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "What is Capitalism?," 7 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Often, the company will state which one this is upfront. — Cassie Shortsleeve, SELF, "How to Actually Have a Successful Teletherapy Appointment," 2 Feb. 2019 Suggested serving: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that adults should not exceed more than 40mg of zinc per day. — Amy Capetta, Woman's Day, "5 Anti-Aging Supplements That May Actually Work," 16 Oct. 2018 Simply stated, a heat pump is an all-in-one heating and cooling device that’s designed to keep your home comfortable all year round. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How a Heat Pump Works," 14 Jan. 2019 As the song sagely states, the holidays are all about comfort and joy. — Amber Katz, SELF, "7 Best Blankets for Everyone on Your Holiday List," 4 Dec. 2018 The young royal stated her desire to visit the school as she is so inspired by the progress at the school– whose average grade in all years across all subjects was over 90% and academic results were four times the national average. — Charlotte Chilton, Town & Country, "Princess Beatrice Supports Ethiopian School in Children's Education Initiative," 29 Nov. 2018 Dozens of emails and other documents revealed the agreement between Cohen and Novartis was longer and more detailed than had been previously stated. — Ed Silverman, STAT, "Pharmalittle: J&J ordered to pay $4.7 billion over baby powder cancer links; Novartis and Trump lawyer were tighter than thought," 13 July 2018 The complaint states that Apple first became suspicious of Zhang in late April. — Allyson Chiu, latimes.com, "Ex-Apple engineer arrested on his way to China, charged with stealing autonomous-car secrets," 11 July 2018 This contradicts earlier estimates which stated each of Game of Thrones' stars receive approximately $500,000 per episode. — Eileen Reslen, Harper's BAZAAR, "Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Made More Than $1 Million Per Episode for Game of Thrones' Final Season," 6 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'state.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near state

Statistics for state

Last Updated

13 Feb 2019

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Time Traveler for state

The first known use of state was in the 13th century

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More Definitions for state

state

noun

English Language Learners Definition of state

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a way of living or existing

: the overall physical condition of something : the ability of something to be used, enjoyed, etc.

: the things that affect the way you think or feel : your physical or mental condition

state

verb

English Language Learners Definition of state (Entry 2 of 2)

: to express (something) formally in speech or writing

: to give (specific information, instructions, rules, etc.) in writing

See the full definition for state in the English Language Learners Dictionary

state

noun

\ ˈstāt

Kids Definition of state

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : manner or condition of being Steam is water in the gaseous state. … the health inspector was rather picky about the state of the cafeteria …— Pam Zollman, Don't Bug Me!

2 : a body of people living in a certain territory under one government : the government of such a body of people

3 : one of the divisions of a nation having a federal government the United States of America

state

verb

stated; stating

Kids Definition of state (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to express especially in words I'm just stating my opinion.

2 : to set by rule, law, or authority The rules of the contest are stated below.

state

noun

\ ˈstāt

Medical Definition of state

: mode or condition of being: as

a : condition of mind or temperament a manic state

b : a condition or stage in the physical being of something the gaseous state of water

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state

noun, often attributive

Legal Definition of state

1a : a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory especially : one that is sovereign

b : the political organization that has supreme civil authority and political power and serves as the basis of government — see also compelling state interest at interest sense 3a, separation of church and state

c : a government or politically organized society having a particular character a police state

2 : the operations or concerns of the government of a country : the sphere of administration and supreme political power of a country (as in international relations) secrets of state affairs of state

3a : one of the constituent units of a nation having a federal government specifically : one of the fifty such units comprising the great part of the U.S. — see also state law

b : the territory of a state