nation

noun

ˈnā-shən How to pronounce nation (audio)
Definition of nationnext
1
as in state
a body of people composed of one or more nationalities usually with its own territory and government the American people became one nation when they adopted the Constitution in 1789

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in nationality
a people having a common language, culture, and body of traditions an international organization dedicated to upholding the basic human rights of people from all nations

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 nation That approach has been shaped by decades inside Olympic volleyball, where the difference between standing atop the podium and watching another nation celebrate is frequently measured by only a handful of points. — Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 The rebels have long sought to create an independent state in northern Mali, which has thrown the West African nation into a violent conflict for over a decade. — ABC News, 11 July 2026 By the time the Round of 16 wrapped up this week, all three co-host nations — Canada, Mexico, and the United States — had been eliminated. — Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 11 July 2026 By escaping the first round of play, Cape Verde became the smallest nation by population to reach the tournament’s knockout stages. — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for nation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nation
  1. state
  2. nationality
  3. country
  4. ethnicity
  5. commonwealth
  6. minority
  7. family
  8. race
Noun
  • Now a union spokesperson says employees might file a complaint with a state board intended to protect public employees.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • Two of those appear to have happened during the Friendsgiving trip the cast took to my home state of Connecticut.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 15 July 2026
Definition of state
Noun
  • Both Carpenter and Obeng are Black, but as the lawsuit reads, Carpenter is not of either Canadian nationality or Ghanaian descent.
    — Ilana Arougheti July 10, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
  • At the World Cup, each country fields a team of all stars, meaning a selection of their best players with a particular nationality, all of whom play professionally for clubs scattered throughout the world.
    — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of nationality
Noun
  • Like previous host countries, Turkey is likely to use the summit to put its own security concerns and defense industry on the agenda.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • And, in a country struck by tragedy, this loss felt close to home.
    — Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of country
Noun
  • About two-thirds of the MEHKO businesses in Contra Costa County are owned by women, and there are more Hispanic/Latinx and Asian business owners than any other ethnicity, according to the county’s Environmental Health Director Kristian Lucas.
    — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • And today, America has grown by more than 125 million people, becoming far more diverse in race, ethnicity and origin.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 5 July 2026
Definition of ethnicity
Noun
  • Her campaign has centered on supporting farmers, expanding Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry, and portraying Shapiro as a career politician more focused on a future White House bid than on leading the commonwealth.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 14 July 2026
  • Virginia’s overall power grid is strained, due in part to the commonwealth’s embrace of data centers.
    — Scott Cohn, CNBC, 9 July 2026
Definition of commonwealth
Noun
  • The country is also home to several minority groups that have clashed with regime forces in the past, including Kurdish militants, Arab and Baloch separatists, among others.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Anything tragic that happened to minorities was inevitable and necessary.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of minority
Noun
  • The family fought for three hours last July Fourth to stay alive after more than a summer’s worth of rain fell overnight on bone-dry soil, pushing the waterway from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • History shows family successions, whether in North Korea or Syria, tend to happen through rigid authoritarian control, with the transfer of power underwritten by whoever controls the military.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of family
Noun
  • But nothing about the case – other than speculation about race – is particularly unusual, CNN law enforcement analyst Charles Ramsey said.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • The stablecoin race has been heating up after Washington nearly a year ago brought greater regulatory clarity to digital assets with the GENIUS Act, which established a federal framework for payment stablecoins.
    — Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 10 July 2026
Definition of race

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Nation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nation. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on nation

Nglish: Translation of nation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nation

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