world power

noun

|Updated on: 17 Aug 2018

Definition of world power

: a political unit (such as a nation or state) powerful enough to affect the entire world by its influence or actions

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Recent Examples of world power from the Web

Since taking office in May last year, Moon, a son of North Korean refugees, has sought to take the lead in diplomatic efforts to end the North Korean nuclear standoff, which had been dominated by world powers including the U.S. and China.

— Washington Post, "Trump-Kim summit raises new questions over South Korean role," 14 June 2018
Since taking office in May last year, Moon, a son of North Korean refugees, has sought to take the lead in diplomatic efforts to end the North Korean nuclear standoff, which had been dominated by world powers including the U.S. and China.

— Fox News, "Trump-Kim summit raises new questions over South Korean role," 13 June 2018
On Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a report that Iran’s uranium enrichment and other nuclear activities remain in compliance with limits permitted by world powers in the 2015 agreement.

— saleha mohsin, Bloomberg.com, "U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Companies Aiding Iranian Airlines," 24 May 2018
Without a deal, supporters say, Iran would have been left free to pursue its nuclear ambitions unchecked by world powers and without the pact’s onerous inspections.

— Fortune, "What You Should Know About the Iran Nuclear Deal," 8 May 2018
The court is viewed by world powers as a vital prerequisite for regional reconciliation in the aftermath of the bloody Balkan wars of the 1990s.

— barbara surk, New York Times, "World’s Eyes on Kosovo Amid Push to Halt War Crimes Court," 13 Jan. 2018
Rouhani was in Vienna, where his country's nuclear agreement with world powers was drawn up three years ago, to promote the deal's survival after the withdrawal of the United States.

— Fox News, "Austria discusses Iran diplomat case with visiting Rouhani," 4 July 2018
Today, as Iran grapples with the United States pulling out of the nuclear deal with world powers, officials have linked their current woes to the 1988 disaster, insisting again that America cannot be trusted.

— jon gambrell, The Seattle Times, "30 years later, U.S. downing of Iran flight haunts relations," 3 July 2018
The Iranian warning, in a letter to the United Arab Emirates’ energy minister, comes as Tehran faces a U.S. push to get its allies to stop buying its oil as part of Trump’s decision to pull America from the nuclear deal with world powers.

— amir vahdat, USA TODAY, "Iran warns against oil production boost after Trump tweet," 1 July 2018

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