STATES Synonyms: 157 Similar and Opposite Words

states 1 of 2

noun

plural of state

as in countries

a body of people composed of one or more nationalities usually with its own territory and government the British monarch is the head of state, while the prime minister is the head of the government

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states

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of state

as in says

to convey in appropriate or telling terms please state the vehicle's mechanical problem as clearly and briefly as possible

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as in tells

to express (a thought or emotion) in words "I believe this theory is wrong," she stated

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in voices

to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion) everyone has a right to state his or her opinion, no matter how unpopular it may be

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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 states

Noun

As is the case in other states, Utah not only puts parents in charge of this complex bookkeeping but also appoints them as their children’s trustees—and all in the name of protecting children’s earnings from greedy parents. —

Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026 Many players also opt for deferrals and large signing bonuses (as opposed to a higher salary) to avoid paying income tax in certain states. —

Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026 Thursday is forecasted to be sunny again, with the high climbing up to the mid-50s and a low in the low 40s, NWS states. —

Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2026 The skirmishes are a preview for more campaigns later this year, when at least a half-dozen states will hold elections for utility regulators. —

ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026 There have been twice as many US and Israeli attacks on Iran compared to the number of Iranian retaliatory strikes since the war began — and the numbers killed in Iran have been orders of magnitude greater than in the neighboring Gulf states. —

Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026 Eight states lowered their income tax rates in 2026, the Tax Foundation reports. —

Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2026 Other states with Democratic governors, such as Illinois and Minnesota, have also scaled back their health programs for immigrants amid budget pressures. —

Vanessa G. Sánchez, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026 But Mabrey says other states have similar laws and hospitals are still in business. —

Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026

Verb

That code states that price changes cannot be made unilaterally without stating a valid reason in advance. —

Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026 While Offset’s friends tended to him, Merritt ran up to them and began throwing punches, the report states. —

Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026 Without Washington’s military might behind it, Article 5 – the treaty clause that states that an armed attack against one or more members will be considered an attack against all – would lose credibility . —

Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 7 Apr. 2026 In reality, the indictment states, the tech went from the Southeast Asian company on to Chinese buyers. —

Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026 The official cause of death listed on the crew member’s death certificate, which was obtained by TMZ, states that Meadows died from drowning with probable hypothermia and submersion of his body in cold water. —

Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026 As undersea warfare becomes increasingly central to US naval strategy, the reentry of a modern Virginia-class submarine like USS New Jersey states the importance of maintaining a ready and capable attack submarine fleet. —

Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026 The affidavit states the officer felt a knife against the back of his neck. —

Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 The letter clearly states otherwise. —

Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 3 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for states

Noun

Epstein was also in frequent correspondence with Anas Al-Rasheed, an academic and former information minister of Kuwait, which was mediating between Qatar and the other Arab countries.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
After Russia, China and France, all veto-wielding countries on the 15-member Security Council, expressed opposition to approving the use of force, the resolution was revised to eliminate all references to offensive action.

— CBS News, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026