statesman

noun

states·​man ˈstāts-mən How to pronounce statesman (audio)
1
: one versed in the principles or art of government
especially : one actively engaged in conducting the business of a government or in shaping its policies
2
: a wise, skillful, and respected political leader
statesmanlike adjective
statesmanly adjective
statesmanship noun

Examples of statesman in a Sentence

He was a soldier and statesman.
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 elder statesman is Detroit’s own David Alan Grier as Dr. Ron, whose decades in medicine have left him devoid of patience for bureaucracy. Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 10 Nov. 2024 As a respected comedy statesman given a massive platform so soon after the election, Burr had the first crack at modeling what stand-up might look like in the era of Donald Trump’s second coming. Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024 Once the starlet of German soccer, Götze has become one of the elder statesmen at Eintracht Frankfurt. Vitas Carosella, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 One of the fun parts of playing Kate Wyler, for Russell, is humanizing these brilliant, larger than life statesmen and women. Trish Deitch, Variety, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for statesman 

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of statesman was in 1592

Dictionary Entries Near statesman

Cite this Entry

“Statesman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/statesman. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

statesman

noun
states·​man ˈstāt-smən How to pronounce statesman (audio)
: a person engaged in fixing the policies and conducting the affairs of a government
especially : one having unusual wisdom and skill in such matters
statesmanlike adjective
statesmanly adjective
statesmanship noun

More from Merriam-Webster on statesman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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