territory

noun

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ter·ri·to·ry | \ ˈter-ə-ˌtȯr-ē

plural territories

Definition of territory

1a : a geographic area belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a governmental authority

b : an administrative subdivision of a country

c : a part of the U.S. not included within any state but organized with a separate legislature

d : a geographic area (such as a colonial possession) dependent on an external government but having some degree of autonomy

2a : an indeterminate geographic area

b : a field of knowledge or interest

3a : an assigned area especially : one in which a sales representative or distributor operates

b : an area often including a nesting or denning site and a variable foraging range that is occupied and defended by an animal or group of animals

go with the territory or come with the territory

: to be a natural or unavoidable aspect or accompaniment of a particular situation, position, or field criticism goes with the territory in this job

Synonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing territory Learn More About territory

Examples of territory in a Sentence

Those mountains are in Mexican territory. Guam is a U.S. territory. The birds are busy establishing territories and building nests. Male cats spray to mark territory. The goal of the expedition is to map unexplored territory.

Recent Examples on the Web Having such high-mileage players in those important roles puts the Bruins in uncharted territory. — Matt Porter, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2022 One group representing insurers in the territory estimates that roughly between 120,000 and 150,000 people fall into that subsidy gap now. — Rachel Cohrs, STAT, 7 Aug. 2022 The latest round of Israel-Gaza violence was rooted in the arrest earlier this week of a senior Islamic Jihad leader in the West Bank, part of a months long Israeli military operation in the territory. — Fox News, 6 Aug. 2022 With the bases loaded, Lowe popped out in foul territory to end the inning. — Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 6 Aug. 2022 The latest round of Israel-Gaza violence was rooted in the arrest earlier this week of a senior Islamic Jihad leader in the West Bank, part of a monthslong Israeli military operation in the territory. — Fares Akram, Tia Goldenberg, Anchorage Daily News, 6 Aug. 2022 New district maps are causing some incumbents to run in neighboring districts, forcing them to campaign in unfamiliar territory and contemplate new living arrangements. — New York Times, 5 Aug. 2022 Bird Rights further complicate run-it-back pursuits for teams in tax territory, as Golden state learned firsthand this offseason with Otto Porter Jr. — Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 Yet even though the Commerce Department reported last week that GDP contracted again in the second quarter after contracting in the first, the manufacturing index is in growth territory. — Justin Lahart, WSJ, 1 Aug. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'territory.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More About territory

Dictionary Entries Near territory

Territorian

territory

territory wool

Statistics for territory

Last Updated

10 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Territory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/territory. Accessed 11 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for territory

territory

noun

ter·ri·to·ry | \ ˈter-ə-ˌtȯr-ē

plural territories

Kids Definition of territory

1 : a geographical area belonging to or under the rule of a government

2 : a part of the United States not included within any state but organized with a separate governing body

3 : region sense 1, district

4 : an area that is occupied and defended by an animal or group of animals

territory

noun

ter·ri·to·ry | \ ˈter-ə-ˌtōr-ē

plural territories

Legal Definition of territory

1 : a geographical area belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a governmental authority

2 : a political subdivision of a country

3 : a part of the U.S. (as Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands) not included within any state but organized with a separate legislature — compare trust territory

Other Words from territory

territorial \ ˌter-ə-ˈtōr-ē-əl

\ adjective

territorially adverb