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
With very few exceptions, an end was declared, not only to empires, but also to city-states, duchies, principalities, emirates, sultanates, caliphates, khanates, agencies, princely states, colonies, suzerains, dependencies, mandates, tributaries, condominia and protectorates.
—
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
The issue is a critical one for the Southeast Asian city-state of 6 million people.
—
Chris Wellisz,
semafor.com,
16 Apr. 2026
His route to Sparta would have taken him through Corinth, Nemea, and Arcadia and avoided kingdoms or city-states not allied with Athens.
—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Mar. 2026
The people who say that should visit C2E2, which, year after year, invariably comes together into a South Loop city-state for three days.
—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for city-state
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
The issue is a critical one for the Southeast Asian city-state of 6 million people.
—
Chris Wellisz,
semafor.com,
16 Apr. 2026
His route to Sparta would have taken him through Corinth, Nemea, and Arcadia and avoided kingdoms or city-states not allied with Athens.
—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Mar. 2026
The people who say that should visit C2E2, which, year after year, invariably comes together into a South Loop city-state for three days.
—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for city-state
Recent Examples of Synonyms for city-state
Noun
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Republican legislators, taking their lead from a president who sees half the nation as his personal enemy, have put their own party’s interests over the republic’s.
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They were inspired by Cicero and Cato, the heroes and martyrs of the Roman republic.
Noun
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Last to note, Jupiter, our planet of expansion, soars into the kingdom of Leo from June 30 until July 26, 2027.
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Even though the monarchy no longer exists in Rwanda, so revered are the cows that the traditional gifting and exchanging them among kingdoms has been embraced by Kagame.
Noun
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Britain already has the highest borrowing costs in the Group of Seven wealthy nations due to its high debt and interest payments.
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Scotland is a very small nation, six million people who have not been in the World Cup in 28 years.
Noun
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In what is now the desert Southwest, Velarde was born among the remnants of the Spanish empire and lived under the flags of Mexico and Texas; briefly, the Confederacy, though his family opposed it; and finally, under the stars and stripes of the United States of America.
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When religion is made to serve the work of empire rather than the work of liberation, something has gone grievously wrong.
Noun
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Leiter said the final destination of the framework is peace between the two countries.
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Many countries and global organizations have pledged support and aid.
Noun
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The duchy is overseen by a board of directors and major decisions must be approved by the Treasury.
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The Duke of Cornwall inherited the duchy in September 2022.
Noun
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Eight towns in the commonwealth remain dry.
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The lands historically now known as Ukraine were occupied by the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth for centuries, and many Ukrainians view their nation’s genesis as the rebellion of Cossack Hetman Boghdan Khmelnitsky against the commonwealth, an event characterized by massacres of Poles and Jews.
Noun
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The tiny principality is perhaps best known for its ski resorts, but in the warmer months, travelers swap the slopes for scenic hiking trails that wind through the Pyrenees Mountains.
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The Alpine Gasly – along with four others – were handed time penalties for speeding in the Monaco pit lane during the race in the principality in early June.
Cite this Entry
“City-state.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/city-state. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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