protectorate

as in territory
a small country that is controlled and protected by a larger one

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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 protectorate Within 35 years, virtually the entire continent, only a few patches excepted, was made up of European colonies or protectorates. Adam Hochschild, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2018 In 1815, Monaco became a Sardinian protectorate before receiving independence once again in 1861. Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 21 Mar. 2025 Elon Musk's assault on the federal government has supercharged Tesla's evolution from liberal status symbol to pride-of-MAGA protectorate. Nathan Bomey, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025 De jure and de facto European protectorates, such as China, Egypt, Tunisia, and the Ottoman Empire, belonged to the gray zone of states that were nominally independent but in reality were under the thumb of European powers. Branko Milanovic, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022 See All Example Sentences for protectorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protectorate
Noun
  • El hombre de los aguacates Vega Paredes came to the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico in 2021 in a yola, a flimsy open boat made of wood, packed with other Dominicans traversing the dangerous 80-mile stretch of ocean between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
    Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 7 June 2025
  • He's faced and beaten top contenders, including Francesco Ricchi, Mike Richman, and Danny Christie, and now looks to further cement his legacy in hostile territory.
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • Listen to this article MIAMI — The Miami Heat’s approach to free agency last summer was simplicity, that Jimmy Butler would return hungry for an extension, the core would meet Pat Riley’s mandate of elevated attendance, Jaime Jaquez Jr. would make sophomore strides.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 May 2025
  • Musk's push for a mandate that federal employees should send short emails listing weekly accomplishments was overruled by some Cabinet heads and was one of several ways his Silicon Valley background clashed with the ways of Washington.
    Stephen Fowler, NPR, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Non-Maintainable Systems Lack of clean code structure, high entropy in the codebase, absence of modularity, dependency chaos, difficult debugging and lack of documentation can occur when applying vibe coding without a core engineering mindset.
    Naresh Prajapati, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • Though there’s a conversation about reducing the industry’s dependency on fossil fuels, Simon Giuliani, Candiani Denim’s global marketing director, said one challenge as a producer and manufacturer is investing in new technology that brands may or may not adopt.
    Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Protectorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protectorate. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

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