city-states

plural of city-state

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 Just as oil money transformed and modernized the Gulf into city-states of gleaming skyscrapers, centuries of wine money have polished this rural corner of Burgundy into an agri-luxury oasis. George Nelson For Artnews, Robb Report, 9 July 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for city-states
Noun
  • For a long time, our leading hypothesis was bullying and violence, but that may be a bit impractical, given their kingdoms are vast networks of tunnels that can stretch for up to three kilometers.
    Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026
  • These stresses put pressure on all of the existing, interconnected kingdoms in the Mediterranean.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 July 2026
Noun
  • One of the enduring lessons of the HIV/AIDS pandemic is that the health of nations is not measured by the policies countries enact, but by whether ordinary people demand that every community has an equal opportunity to live healthy, dignified lives.
    Jallicia Jolly, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Yes, most European nations now do about as well as us with at least Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland doing better.
    Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 July 2026
Noun
  • This document shows what a national decision on slavery in one of the world’s biggest empires at the time could mean for other territories.
    Kaitlyn Harvey, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
  • The best global businesses operate less like empires exporting a model and more like networks sharing a purpose.
    Teja Chekuri, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • Redelinghuys said Umzi’s executive Chef Mensah Thompson is excited to bring South African cuisine and menu items inspired from other African countries.
    Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026
  • International assistance has historically played a major role in supporting outbreak surveillance, laboratory capacity, healthcare worker training and emergency response in countries facing limited resources.
    Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“City-states.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/city-states. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster