as in republic
a state that has its own government and consists of a city and the area around it
the city-states of ancient Greece
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Recent Examples of city-state
Grace Fu has served as Singapore's environmental chief since 2020, allocating nearly $4 billion to coastal resilience projects in the low-lying city-state while leading international negotiations on climate policy.
—
Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
But Netanyahu’s rhetoric, if impolitic, was resonant: the image of Israel as a militarized city-state will be hard to dispel.
—Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Consequently, Persia abandoned its westward expansion, while various Greek city-states formed a tenuous alliance that lasted nearly 50 years.
—Debbie Felton, The Conversation, 8 Aug. 2025
When Singapore gained independence in 1965 after its separation from Malaysia, few expected the small city-state — which turns 60 on Saturday — to survive.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for city-state
Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
But Netanyahu’s rhetoric, if impolitic, was resonant: the image of Israel as a militarized city-state will be hard to dispel.
—Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Consequently, Persia abandoned its westward expansion, while various Greek city-states formed a tenuous alliance that lasted nearly 50 years.
—Debbie Felton, The Conversation, 8 Aug. 2025
When Singapore gained independence in 1965 after its separation from Malaysia, few expected the small city-state — which turns 60 on Saturday — to survive.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for city-state
Recent Examples of Synonyms for city-state
Noun
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OneCoin was reportedly banking with JSC Capital Bank in the former Soviet republic of Georgia at least for some time in 2015.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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Every cycle, every generation, there is a relearning of the truths of living in a democratic republic.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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With war looming and chaos consuming the kingdom —drawing in the ruthless kings of other Scandinavian countries and even a powerful English ruler — the stage is set for a thundering, cataclysmic, compelling, and utterly magical new Norse saga.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
11 Nov. 2025
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Snowmaking machines at the kingdom will pump out 100 tons of snow every 24 hours.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The conflict has been largely concentrated in Nigeria's northeast, with frequent spillover into other provinces and across the borders of neighboring nations, particularly Cameroon, Chad and Niger.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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Protests broke out in the East African nation during and after the vote last Wednesday as demonstrators voiced outrage over the exclusion of Hassan’s main rivals.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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If Stacey wants to skip out and build her cannabis empire for her daughter instead, I am simply unbothered.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
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Paramount has been bidding since October for WBD, a transaction that would elevate David Ellison’s nascent media empire into a Hollywood force that could not be easily ignored by tech competitors and Wall Street.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Women from 130 countries are participating in this year’s edition, which concludes on November 21 with the crowning of the winner.—
Anabella González,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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With trials underway in multiple countries, electric roads are now drawing global attention.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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However, the duchy passed on to Prince William when Charles became king on the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 July 2025
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Known collectively as Hessians, since most Germans hired by London to fight in America came from Hesse-Kassel, this contingent was largely from the small, impoverished duchy of Brunswick, whose ruling family had intermarried with the British royal family.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
13 June 2025
Noun
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Some businesses and other services in the commonwealth will be closed in observance of the federal holiday.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
11 Nov. 2025
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In Virginia, the top three commonwealth jobs held by Republicans will soon be held by liberal Democrats.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and María Luisa Manrique de Lara y Gonzaga (a rather pompous name that encompassed two major hereditary estates, a principality, a county, a marquisate, and, for a time, a viceroyalty) met in 1680 in Mexico City.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Owned in majority by the government of the principality, the SBM counts LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton among its minority shareholders.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“City-state.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/city-state. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.
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