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
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The ships were told to divert from the middle of the strait in Iranian and Omani territorial waters and instead detour around Iran’s Larak Island. David McHugh, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026 The Strait of Hormuz Before the war, ships freely passed through the Strait of Hormuz, in the territorial waters of Iran and Oman. Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026 The strait is in the territorial waters of both Oman and Iran. ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026 The key shipping route, which Iran has effectively closed in response to US-Israeli strikes, lies in the two sides’ territorial waters. Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for territorial waters

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of territorial waters was in 1841

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Territorial waters.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/territorial%20waters. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

Legal Definition

territorial waters

noun plural
territorial wa·​ters
: the waters under the sovereign jurisdiction of a nation or state including both marginal sea and inland waters

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