1
as in national
a person who owes allegiance to a government and is protected by it conscientious citizens who regard voting as a duty as well as a right

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word citizen distinct from other similar nouns?

The words national and subject are common synonyms of citizen. While all three words mean "a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state," citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people.

the rights of a free citizen

Where would national be a reasonable alternative to citizen?

Although the words national and citizen have much in common, national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state.

American nationals working in the Middle East

When could subject be used to replace citizen?

The meanings of subject and citizen largely overlap; however, subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch.

the king's subjects

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of citizen People of Wekiwa Springs citizen advocacy and engagement group: 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month, Wekiwa Springs Baptist Church, 584 N. Wekiwa Springs Road, Apopka, free, wekiwa-springs.com. Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 May 2025 Camila Muñoz, a Peruvian citizen who overstayed her visa while pursuing permanent residency, has since been released from custody. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025 Attempts to unify the government came to a head in 2016 when the Cameroonian government sent French-speaking citizens to the Anglophone-majority regions. Krystal Nurse, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025 Opposition parties, civil-society groups, ex-generals, and other citizens filed suit, asking the supreme court to block Bar’s dismissal. Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for citizen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for citizen
Noun
  • Badar Khan Suri Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and Georgetown University doctoral fellow specializing in peacebuilding in the Middle East, has been in federal detention for nearly two months after his J-1 visa was abruptly revoked.
    Hanna Park, CNN Money, 12 May 2025
  • For this security reason, many countries, such as the U.K. and Ireland, stopped these programs at the outbreak of the Ukraine war so that Russian nationals could not acquire EU citizenship through these programs.
    Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • When war comes to their village, the principal is paralyzed saving a displaced child, while the thug takes advantage of the bedlam to gain influence, assisting villagers by providing goods through smuggling and standing up militias to protect their homes.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
  • The documentary highlights the Israeli government’s efforts to evict the villagers by force, with viewers seeing the local playground being torn down, the killing of Adra’s brother by Israeli soldiers, and other attacks by Jewish settlers while the community tries to survive.
    Kareem Khadder, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • For an island of just 123 year-round residents, the stars may prove to be a new kind of economic lifeline—one that preserves what makes Anholt so rare.
    Valerie Stimac, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • Aside from the question of funding Trump’s goal, a major rethinking of current plans for the property — actually two independent plans derived from two lawsuits — would probably be needed to accommodate 6,000 new residents.
    Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • The data showed a genetic link between the modern Picuris Pueblo people, their ancestors and the inhabitants of Chaco Canyon.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 May 2025
  • The inhabitants of the Vienna slum at the heart of Seethaler’s historical novel might beg to differ.
    New York Times, New York Times, 1 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Citizen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/citizen. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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