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
Srinivasan has also published a book arguing that such privatized, business-friendly enclaves will eventually surpass nation-states.
—
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
Organizations unintentionally create systemic weaknesses that adversaries, ranging from nation-states to hackers, are keen to exploit when privacy is neglected.
—Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The administration has joined the Magnificent Seven tech companies, which wield greater power than most nation-states, in fighting regulatory control of artificial intelligence.
—Max Hastings, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Now, nation-states are beginning to dominate the sector, moving hundreds of millions or even billions in funds obtained through hacking or fraud.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
Now nation-states were claiming it for themselves, through the machines and people fueling their economies.
—Vauhini Vara, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2025
Its central contention is that the world is a better place when it’s composed of distinct nation-states, each with its own individual culture and history; such societies are more stable, and achieve more, and make unique contributions to humanity as a whole.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2025
Tech giants and nation-states are investing heavily in neuromorphic chips.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
And there were many others in the floundering nation-states of Asia and Africa who succumbed to the American ideology of individual aggrandizement and self-cherishing.
—Pankaj Mishra, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
Organizations unintentionally create systemic weaknesses that adversaries, ranging from nation-states to hackers, are keen to exploit when privacy is neglected.
—Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The administration has joined the Magnificent Seven tech companies, which wield greater power than most nation-states, in fighting regulatory control of artificial intelligence.
—Max Hastings, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Now, nation-states are beginning to dominate the sector, moving hundreds of millions or even billions in funds obtained through hacking or fraud.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
Now nation-states were claiming it for themselves, through the machines and people fueling their economies.
—Vauhini Vara, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2025
Its central contention is that the world is a better place when it’s composed of distinct nation-states, each with its own individual culture and history; such societies are more stable, and achieve more, and make unique contributions to humanity as a whole.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2025
Tech giants and nation-states are investing heavily in neuromorphic chips.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
And there were many others in the floundering nation-states of Asia and Africa who succumbed to the American ideology of individual aggrandizement and self-cherishing.
—Pankaj Mishra, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nation-states
Noun
-
Ukraine has urged African nations to halt the flow of men to Russia’s ranks.—
Larry Madowo,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The decision to oust both nations from the Olympics follows Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022, just days after the end of the Beijing Games, which featured the then-Russian Olympic Committee.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The burial ground dates back to a significant time in English history, when regional kingdoms started to form and consolidate power.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The early Iron Age kingdoms of Neo-Assyria, Egypt, Israel and Judah, and their relationship to the Phoenician cities, underlie our understanding of these events.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Several countries that once abolished their monarchies—including Spain, Cambodia, and Britain (under Oliver Cromwell)—later restored them as constitutional monarchies.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
-
First, that monarchies are inherently corrupt.—
Dan Snyder,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Test your knowledge of sports soundtracks, entertainment empires and more in this week's American Culture Quiz.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Prosperous empires throughout history have suffered failures born from complacency.—
Jamie Holmes,
Twin Cities,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nation-states.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nation-states. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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