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
Related Words
Relevance
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-states
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
This coalition was established in 2001 around the China-Russia axis to create cohesion and coordination among broadly congenial nation-states.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
In states of war and other political conflicts, nation-states and their hacktivist allies often target those on the opposing side.
—Carlos Morales, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
One is that corporations like Prodigy and Weyland-Yutani act like enormous nation-states, controlling vast swaths of territory and commanding armies.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Pankaj Mishra, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
This coalition was established in 2001 around the China-Russia axis to create cohesion and coordination among broadly congenial nation-states.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
In states of war and other political conflicts, nation-states and their hacktivist allies often target those on the opposing side.
—Carlos Morales, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
One is that corporations like Prodigy and Weyland-Yutani act like enormous nation-states, controlling vast swaths of territory and commanding armies.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nation-states
Noun
-
The film contends there has been an 80-year cover-up of the existence of non-human intelligent life and a secret war among major nations to reverse engineer UFO technology.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Oct. 2025
-
So roughly $300 billion – a 7% gap – separates these three nations and California on this vanity scorecard.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Because monkeys bang on typewriters and kingdoms fall.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
-
America’s most steadfast allies in this bit of the 21st century are the Gulf monarchies, true and unapologetic kingdoms big on pomp and light on participation.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
No more communism, or fascism; no more theocracy, or monarchies.—
Richard Stengel,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
-
America’s most steadfast allies in this bit of the 21st century are the Gulf monarchies, true and unapologetic kingdoms big on pomp and light on participation.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The private luncheon brought together leaders who’ve built empires, broken ceilings, and redefined what success looks like on their own terms.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
13 Oct. 2025
-
While Tata Sons and Tata Trusts have not issued any official statement on what transpired at the minister’s residence, it is widely reported that a power struggle is brewing inside one of India’s most powerful business empires.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nation-states.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nation-states. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share