as in republics
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-states
As conditions worsened, city-states fought over power and resources.
—
Lauren Mowery,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
As children, Vi and Jinx lose their parents in an abortive revolution in Zaun, and years later find themselves on opposite sides of an unfolding power struggle between the two city-states.
—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
22 May 2026
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
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
With crops failing and fears of starvation rising, some wealthy Italian city-states like Florence and Venice imported grain from elsewhere in the world.
—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
4 Dec. 2025
An ensuing grain shortage threatened to spark a famine or civil unrest, so Italian city-states, such as Venice and Genoa, resorted to emergency imports from the Black Sea region, which helped keep the population fed.
—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
4 Dec. 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
Lauren Mowery,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
As children, Vi and Jinx lose their parents in an abortive revolution in Zaun, and years later find themselves on opposite sides of an unfolding power struggle between the two city-states.
—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
22 May 2026
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
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
With crops failing and fears of starvation rising, some wealthy Italian city-states like Florence and Venice imported grain from elsewhere in the world.
—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
4 Dec. 2025
An ensuing grain shortage threatened to spark a famine or civil unrest, so Italian city-states, such as Venice and Genoa, resorted to emergency imports from the Black Sea region, which helped keep the population fed.
—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
4 Dec. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for city-states
Noun
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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.
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In the fifth century CE, the western half of the Roman Empire disintegrated into a patchwork of new kingdoms and new rulers.
Noun
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Some two dozen nations have sent some 3,000 emergency personnel to Venezuela.
-
The move by the group of oil-producing nations and its allies will add to the supply of fuel in global markets, which analysts warn are poised for a glut as oil prices fall.
Noun
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After the United States was founded in 1776, leaders like Thomas Jefferson chose to emulate classical architecture when building its Washington, DC, capital as a nod to the democratic ideals of the Greek and Roman empires.
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Times change and empires crumble, yet the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest endures.
Noun
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According to data from the trade intel firm Kpler, the Saudis have shipped 34 million barrels through the Strait of Hormuz since the day both countries signed an agreement to end the war.
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And if the participating countries agree, the funds would be shared between Iran and Oman, the official added.
Cite this Entry
“City-states.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/city-states. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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