sovereignty

noun

ˈsä-v(ə-)rən-tē How to pronounce sovereignty (audio)
variants also sovranty
Definition of sovereigntynext
1
as in autonomy
the state of being free from the control or power of another upon leaving home she felt that she had achieved sovereignty for the first time in her life

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2
as in nation
a body of people composed of one or more nationalities usually with its own territory and government as parts of the same sovereignty, the states should not enact laws intended to harm one another economically

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3
as in dominion
controlling power or influence over others the gradual sovereignty of English as the language of international communication

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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 sovereignty In 2019, Prime Minister Netanyahu began referring to extending sovereignty over parts of the West Bank, or de jure annexation. — Dahlia Scheindlin, Time, 7 Oct. 2026 As Haitians on both sides of the island took sides, Dominican authorities demanded an apology, nationalists denounced the statement as an affront to Dominican sovereignty, and Haiti’s foreign ministry distanced the government from it. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026 Although Koerte believes Europe needs to develop greater AI capabilities, complete sovereignty remains a pipe dream. — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026 The ministry said Ethiopia remained committed to dialogue and peaceful engagement with its neighbors while defending its sovereignty and national interests. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sovereignty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sovereignty
  1. autonomy
  2. nation
  3. dominion
  4. independence
  5. state
  6. supremacy
  7. freedom
  8. country
Noun
  • The company’s longer-term ambition, however, is to evolve from a supplier of reconnaissance technology into a multi-domain defense autonomy business with international reach.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Groups opposed to the charity's curriculum say Palestinians are being stripped of their autonomy in deciding what to teach their children.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of autonomy
Noun
  • Mohave County, where Bullhead City is located, has higher poverty and unemployment rates than the state and nation, with a lower per-capita income, according to Census and state unemployment data.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • As reported, De Beers and the government of the Republic of Botswana have tapped the Olympic gold medal athlete Letsile Tebogo to promote the African nation as a heartland of natural diamonds, and to mark its 60 years of independence.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of nation
Noun
  • The twentieth century also saw Canada transition from British dominion to sovereign North American partner and ally.
    — Robert B. Zoellick, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Faced with the dominion of the identical copy, some modern artists chose to celebrate it; others took a more critical, even antagonistic stance.
    — Mario Carpo, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of dominion
Noun
  • Bringing these creative brands together, giving producers access to a broader pool of talent, IP and resources, while preserving their independence is what differentiates Mediawan.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The higher the required SIL, the greater the required risk reduction and the more demanding the design, verification and independence of the safety function.
    — Gregory Shahnovsky, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of independence
Noun
  • The government’s $1,000 seed and certain contributions from state and local governments and nonprofits don’t count toward the $5,000 cap.
    — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
  • But national Democrats have been eying the race for months due to the state’s large Black population, and Obama’s ad is a clear effort to juice turnout.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of state
Noun
  • Lines that are too close together reinforce the author’s supremacy, gracelessly.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The stage is set for Georgia and Alabama to battle for early SEC supremacy, both with unbeaten records heading into next Saturday’s matchup in Tuscaloosa.
    — Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of supremacy
Noun
  • The dehumanization of Black people represented by the persistence of Confederate iconography in mainstream culture became an underground signifier of the precariousness of the freedoms enshrined by the 14th Amendment.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • This album is not afraid of its own agonizing lows or tethered to a toe-tapping dance-pop initiative; reveling in this ever-molting freedom, Sivan drops what is easily his finest collection of songs to date.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of freedom
Noun
  • The country currently exports about 80% of its electricity to other Asian countries like Thailand, China, and Singapore.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
  • International funding, Patil says, means long waits, complicated contracts and co-production treaties, and Indian filmmakers end up chasing the same grants as professionals from wealthier countries.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of country

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sovereignties
sovereignty
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Cite this Entry

“Sovereignty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sovereignty. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sovereignty

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