sovereignty
noun
sov·er·eign·ty
ˈsä-v(ə-)rən-tē 
-vərn-tē,
also ˈsə-
variants
or less commonly sovranty
plural sovereignties also sovranties
1
a
: supreme power especially over a body politic
b
: freedom from external control : autonomy
c
: controlling influence
2
: one that is sovereign
especially
: an autonomous state
3
obsolete
: supreme excellence or an example of it
Synonyms
Examples of sovereignty in a Sentence
Nor was the sovereignty of the Native Hawaiian race recognized at the time Hawaii became a state.
—
Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 18 July 2005
Cesaire's wrenching chant of self-affirmation announced a new era of intellectual and cultural sovereignty for black writers in French.
—Lila Azam Zanganeh, New York Times Book Review, 12 June 2005
The position plunged him into a supremely complicated religious and political game. Throughout Europe the old order of divinely sanctioned kingdoms was battling models of popular sovereignty and citizenship inspired by the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and the adolescent U.S.
—David Van Biema, Time, 4 Sept. 2000
upon leaving home she felt that she had achieved sovereignty for the first time in her life
as parts of the same sovereignty, the states should not enact laws intended to harm one another economically
Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 18 July 2005
Cesaire's wrenching chant of self-affirmation announced a new era of intellectual and cultural sovereignty for black writers in French.
—Lila Azam Zanganeh, New York Times Book Review, 12 June 2005
The position plunged him into a supremely complicated religious and political game. Throughout Europe the old order of divinely sanctioned kingdoms was battling models of popular sovereignty and citizenship inspired by the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and the adolescent U.S.
—David Van Biema, Time, 4 Sept. 2000
upon leaving home she felt that she had achieved sovereignty for the first time in her life
as parts of the same sovereignty, the states should not enact laws intended to harm one another economically
Recent Examples on the Web
Focusing on the rights of Israelis and Palestinians, not their governments’ dueling claims to sovereignty, will push the communities toward a solution in which both can live in peace and dignity.
—Marwan Muasher, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2024
Meanwhile, the diplomatic wing of the Iranian government has taken a softer approach — downplaying the harm caused by Israel’s latest attack but pushing for an international response to the violation of their sovereignty.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Oct. 2024
Advertisement At first, incorporating Indigenous data sovereignty wasn’t on Hutchins’s radar.
—Bysandeep Ravindran, science.org, 24 Oct. 2024
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
—Reuters, CNN, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sovereignty 
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Marwan Muasher, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2024
Meanwhile, the diplomatic wing of the Iranian government has taken a softer approach — downplaying the harm caused by Israel’s latest attack but pushing for an international response to the violation of their sovereignty.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Oct. 2024
Advertisement At first, incorporating Indigenous data sovereignty wasn’t on Hutchins’s radar.
—Bysandeep Ravindran, science.org, 24 Oct. 2024
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
—Reuters, CNN, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sovereignty
Dictionary Entries Near sovereignty
Cite this Entry
“Sovereignty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sovereignty. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sovereignty
noun
sov·er·eign·ty
ˈsäv-(ə-)rən-tē
ˈsäv-ərn-,
ˈsəv-
plural sovereignties
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