statesman
noun
states·man
ˈstāts-mən 
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
Examples of statesman in a Sentence
He was a soldier and statesman.
Recent Examples on the Web
The British statesman and First Lord of the Admiralty, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955.
—
Denise Petski, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
In his essay, Halifax wasn’t telling statesmen how to crush their foes.
—David Brooks, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Chalamet could look to another elder statesman, Leonardo DiCaprio, who happily if bemusedly played along with Conan’s attempt to create a new meme.
—Josh Spiegel, HollywoodReporter, 17 Mar. 2026
The Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name, was founded by revolutionary statesman Sun Yat-sen and his Nationalist movement on the mainland in 1912.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for statesman
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.
Denise Petski, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
In his essay, Halifax wasn’t telling statesmen how to crush their foes.
—David Brooks, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Chalamet could look to another elder statesman, Leonardo DiCaprio, who happily if bemusedly played along with Conan’s attempt to create a new meme.
—Josh Spiegel, HollywoodReporter, 17 Mar. 2026
The Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name, was founded by revolutionary statesman Sun Yat-sen and his Nationalist movement on the mainland in 1912.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for statesman
Cite this Entry
“Statesman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/statesman. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
statesman
noun
states·man
ˈstāt-smən
: a person engaged in fixing the policies and conducting the affairs of a government
especially
: one having unusual wisdom and skill in such matters
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
