as in nations
a form of political organization in which a group of people who share the same history, traditions, or language live in a particular area under one government
the rise of European nation-states in the thirteenth century
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Recent Examples of nation-states
During that conflict, their ancestral homes were nation-states.
—
Ibrahim Al-Marashi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
In the West, nation-states produced an astonishing expansion of equality, democracy and material security.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The tradition endures even as most people quietly agree that art probably shouldn’t be co-opted by the agendas of nation-states.
—Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
Particularly in authoritarian or nondemocratic nation-states, journalists can be jailed or harassed for doing their job of reporting on abuses of power.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
That act, of amending Jefferson’s original draft, edit upon edit, has been the story not only of new nation-states declaring their independence but also of people within nation-states.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
The modern Zionist political movement began in the late 19th century and gave political expression to our connection to the land of Israel in a modern world shaped by nation-states.
—Elad Strohmayer, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
While these capabilities are intended to help companies detect and fix flaws, they could also be weaponized by hackers, including nation-states, to find and exploit vulnerabilities.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Today, the self-congratulation of white liberals has been displaced by white-supremacist promoters of Western civilization who don’t merely posit but brutally enforce inequality between races, peoples, cultures, and nation-states.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Ibrahim Al-Marashi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
In the West, nation-states produced an astonishing expansion of equality, democracy and material security.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The tradition endures even as most people quietly agree that art probably shouldn’t be co-opted by the agendas of nation-states.
—Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
Particularly in authoritarian or nondemocratic nation-states, journalists can be jailed or harassed for doing their job of reporting on abuses of power.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
That act, of amending Jefferson’s original draft, edit upon edit, has been the story not only of new nation-states declaring their independence but also of people within nation-states.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
The modern Zionist political movement began in the late 19th century and gave political expression to our connection to the land of Israel in a modern world shaped by nation-states.
—Elad Strohmayer, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
While these capabilities are intended to help companies detect and fix flaws, they could also be weaponized by hackers, including nation-states, to find and exploit vulnerabilities.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Today, the self-congratulation of white liberals has been displaced by white-supremacist promoters of Western civilization who don’t merely posit but brutally enforce inequality between races, peoples, cultures, and nation-states.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nation-states
Noun
-
Before the war, around 20% of the world's crude oil supply, from Persian Gulf nations, was typically carried through the strait by tanker to reach Asia and elsewhere.—
May 19,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, nations have already begun deploying OFPV systems on reservoirs, lakes, as well as offshore waters to avoid competing with agriculture or urban development.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Absolute kingdoms of the '90s and early-2000s.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
All kingdoms crumble, though, and after a decade-plus reign, the cupcake was left behind—an aging monarch overthrown by Dominique Ansel’s cronut, and the neophilic nature of social media feeds.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Prince Philip joined Meet The Press back in 1969 at a time when monarchies across Europe were in decline following World War II.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
-
Gerontocracy has always thrived in undemocratic places—Communist people’s republics, Gulf monarchies—where only death could pry power from the ruling elders.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The rest of the world comprised colonial possessions of the European states and Japan, a few large land empires, and many small principalities.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Born in the Bronx in 1939, Lauren famously started by selling neckties out of a drawer in the Empire State Building before building one of the world’s most recognizable lifestyle empires.—
Brittany Talarico,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nation-states.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nation-states. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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