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 Lula, meanwhile, has put Brazilian sovereignty at the center of his campaign. — Chloe Taylor,thomas Da Graca Barlow, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026 Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry rushed out an objection on a public holiday in Taiwan, and repeated Taiwan’s own clear position on its sovereignty. — Eryk Michael Smith, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 As the country ramps up political pressure on its claim of sovereignty over the territory, restrictions are making life more difficult for the residents of the remote Atlantic islands, Andrea Clausen told the Financial Times. — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 30 Sep. 2026 Iraq is marking the withdrawal as a restoration of sovereignty. — Michel Martin, NPR, 30 Sep. 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
  • Egalitarianism, then, is best seen not as perfect equality but as a set of tools that people use to secure their own autonomy and access to resources.
    — Christopher von Rueden, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The company is trying to protect its traditional business while investing through uncertainty—in EVs, autonomy, software, AI, manufacturing, and defense.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of autonomy
Noun
  • Gone are the four nations, corresponding to the elements, who coexisted in harmony that was disrupted and then, episode by episode, restored.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Like many issues in public health, cost and red tape within the health care system are factors in our nation’s lack of progress.
    — Philip A. Chan, STAT, 8 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
  • Beyond the theatrical and streaming markets, the merger brings CBS News and CNN under the direction of a board that will ensure the editorial independence of each news outlet.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Support for Quebec independence remains at about 30%, low by historical standards, according to Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University.
    — Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of independence
Noun
  • For example, in 2023, commercial insurers paid more than $2,500 on average for colonoscopies performed in a hospital outpatient department in Massachusetts, according to state data.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Democrat senators oppose the Republican proposal that shifts some SNAP cost to states.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of state
Noun
  • China is taking the fight to the stars — America must reclaim space supremacy.
    — , FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • And our government officials and employees must be free of the destructive Aryan supremacy philosophy.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 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
  • These countries will face the costs of aging at much lower income levels than the advanced economies that aged before them, the report says, noting that in Europe, the same shift took several decades.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Some Southeast Asian countries are trying to leverage their strengths to capture more of the value chain.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 5 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 11 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sovereignty

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sovereignty

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