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
Related Words
Relevance
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 city-states
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
Those myths were conveyed through performance, sung in the great halls of the elite, recited at festivals all across the ancient world, staged at the theatre to large audiences, and displayed on wall paintings, mosaics, vases, and sculptures that adorned both sacred sanctuaries and city-states.
—Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 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
Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Mar. 2026
Those myths were conveyed through performance, sung in the great halls of the elite, recited at festivals all across the ancient world, staged at the theatre to large audiences, and displayed on wall paintings, mosaics, vases, and sculptures that adorned both sacred sanctuaries and city-states.
—Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 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
-
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
-
Cliffs of Moher, Ireland The rugged coastline of County Clare served as a dramatic setting in Harry Potter, and the wider Wild Atlantic Way has doubled as everything from fantasy kingdoms to period dramas.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Somalia joins other African nations seeking to increase oil exports — Nigeria’s Dangote refinery boosted its output this week, and other countries are stepping up refinement — which should reduce risks of future regional energy crunches.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
These include some Gulf nations now worried that Iran could target their civilian infrastructure in retaliation, according to regional sources.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Over the centuries, it would be conquered by empires of varying beliefs.—
Seth Doane,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The three Islamic empires engaged in a series of wars and battles in which gunpowder weaponry, particularly artillery and handheld firearms, played a key role.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Epstein was also in frequent correspondence with Anas Al-Rasheed, an academic and former information minister of Kuwait, which was mediating between Qatar and the other Arab countries.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
-
After Russia, China and France, all veto-wielding countries on the 15-member Security Council, expressed opposition to approving the use of force, the resolution was revised to eliminate all references to offensive action.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“City-states.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/city-states. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
