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
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
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
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Attacks on other Gulf states Qatar and Bahrain also came under attack, piercing the kingdoms’ polished image as luxurious havens in an unstable region.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
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But these are relatively new arrivals on Earth; all three kingdoms are less than one billion years old.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Further, according to the paper, when supply tightens, richer nations outbid poorer ones for scarce shipments, exacerbating challenges for vulnerable economies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
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Spiritual Festivals in Ethiopia As one of the world’s earliest Christian nations, Ethiopia makes for quite the enigmatic travel destination.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And confusing them is how empires exhaust themselves.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
10 Mar. 2026
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Savage clashes in the ring, a high-stakes heist and an explosive showdown push Atlas to the edge, forcing him to confront Clay in a final battle of empires.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Overcoming an energy moratorium Ireland is one of two European countries to have enforced a moratorium on new data center applications as the energy-intensive facilities put pressure on the nation’s grid.—
April Roach,Gaelle Legrand,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
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The company later expanded globally, providing voting machines and other technology to help carry out elections in 25 countries, from Argentina to Zambia.—
JOSHUA GOODMAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“City-states.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/city-states. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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