stateless

adjective

state·​less ˈstāt-ləs How to pronounce stateless (audio)
1
: having no state
2
: lacking the status of a national
a stateless refugee
statelessness noun

Examples of stateless 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.
The Kurds are one of the world’s largest stateless ethnic groups, with ancestral roots in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and other Middle Eastern countries. Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 15 Jan. 2026 His political ideals were rooted in variants of anarchism, aspiring to a stateless society where communities organized themselves on principles like liberty, solidarity and equality. Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 8 Dec. 2025 As a voice for stateless refugees, Joudeh was chosen to serve as a Young Global Leader (YGL), an organization created by WEF founder Klaus Schwab. Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Dec. 2025 But the current plan, which holds no real promise of Palestinian statehood, also contains no suggestion of granting the more than 2 million stateless Palestinians who live in the West Bank Israeli citizenship. Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stateless

Word History

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stateless was in 1858

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Cite this Entry

“Stateless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stateless. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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