territorial waters
plural noun
: the waters under the sovereign jurisdiction of a nation or state including both marginal sea and inland waters
Examples of territorial waters in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
China has been challenging the boundaries of Taiwan’s contiguous zone—an area of 24 nautical miles around the island—and is threatening to violate its territorial waters, which stretch 12 nautical miles from its shores.
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Marvin Park, Foreign Affairs, 22 Oct. 2025
That vessel was one of three Philippine fisheries bureau boats that were part of a patrol near Sandy Cays, a group of sand bars lying within what Manila claims are Thitu's territorial waters.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Later on Thursday, the Venezuelan government issued a statement saying the aircraft had been detected 75 kilometers (about 46 miles) from its coastline, miles away from standard territorial waters which are typically 12 nautical miles from the coast.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, says the strategic waterway is part of its territorial waters.
—Reuters, NBC news, 13 Sep. 2025
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Marvin Park, Foreign Affairs, 22 Oct. 2025
That vessel was one of three Philippine fisheries bureau boats that were part of a patrol near Sandy Cays, a group of sand bars lying within what Manila claims are Thitu's territorial waters.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Later on Thursday, the Venezuelan government issued a statement saying the aircraft had been detected 75 kilometers (about 46 miles) from its coastline, miles away from standard territorial waters which are typically 12 nautical miles from the coast.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, says the strategic waterway is part of its territorial waters.
—Reuters, NBC news, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for territorial waters
Cite this Entry
“Territorial waters.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/territorial%20waters. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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