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.
Advertisement The Frank family was considered stateless according to the standards of the time. Time, 30 Sep. 2025 The Persons and Family Code law, making Burkina Faso the latest in a series of African countries to criminalize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activity, also tightens rules on nationality and stateless people. Reuters, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2025 Duke, now stateless after renouncing British citizenship, faces not only the loss of U.S. rights but also potential tax liabilities under the U.S. expatriation tax regime. Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025 The federal government attempted to deport a stateless Palestinian woman on Monday for the second time, despite a court order barring her removal from a Texas district, according to court documents. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 1 July 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 14 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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