as in territory
a small country that is controlled and protected by a larger one
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Recent Examples of protectorate
The city’s exotic mix of Arab, Berber, African, and European cultures—Morocco was a French protectorate from 1912 to 1956, and French is still widely spoken—gives it a unique feel that’s typified by the ambience of the quietly opulent La Mamounia hotel.
—
Angus MacKenzie, Robb Report, 31 Dec. 2025
The former British protectorate hopes that recognition by Israel will encourage other nations to follow suit, increasing its diplomatic heft and access to international markets.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
According to Filomeno Aguilar, Jr, once the Europeans were gone, the hacenderos kowtowed to the Americans, offering the island as a protectorate in the hopes of securing favorable access to the lucrative US market for their sugar.
—JSTOR Daily, 19 Nov. 2025
In the lush Bujang Valley, farmers live in the long shadow of the 1909 Anglo-Siamese Treaty (also known as the Bangkok Treaty), in which Thailand ceded a portion of its southern land to Malaysia, which was then a British protectorate.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for protectorate
Angus MacKenzie, Robb Report, 31 Dec. 2025
The former British protectorate hopes that recognition by Israel will encourage other nations to follow suit, increasing its diplomatic heft and access to international markets.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
According to Filomeno Aguilar, Jr, once the Europeans were gone, the hacenderos kowtowed to the Americans, offering the island as a protectorate in the hopes of securing favorable access to the lucrative US market for their sugar.
—JSTOR Daily, 19 Nov. 2025
In the lush Bujang Valley, farmers live in the long shadow of the 1909 Anglo-Siamese Treaty (also known as the Bangkok Treaty), in which Thailand ceded a portion of its southern land to Malaysia, which was then a British protectorate.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for protectorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protectorate
Noun
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An unexpected opportunity or disruption pushes you into new territory.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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The top entries in this year’s open contest were just announced, selected from more than 430,000 images from more than 200 countries and territories.—
Alan Taylor,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This would support an argument to cut because inflation is relatively steady (one part of the Fed’s mandate), while employment (another part) is showing signs of weakness, which a base rate cut could help address.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
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There has been no mandate from the FIA that teams must use the new fuels through preseason, and a Mercedes spokesperson declined to reveal what type of fuel the team had been using at testing beyond it being supplied by Petronas.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The system tracks timing and dependencies without demanding constant attention.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
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What better way to demonstrate the intent of taking primary responsibility for your own security and cutting dependency on the United States than by building your own nuclear weapons or relying more on the French and British nuclear shield?—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protectorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protectorate. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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