as in territory
a small country that is controlled and protected by a larger one
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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
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
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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
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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
Noun
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Furthermore, the mandates Kennedy opposes, which have been in place since the 1960s, have arguably helped to contribute to a dramatic decline in childhood infectious diseases.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Industry leaders stressed that Bangladesh needs a strong, stable political mandate to manage such external pressures.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
9 June 2025
Noun
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One of the first challenges is platform dependency.—
Serge Beck,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Canada has been in discussions with the European Union to join an EU drive to break its security dependency on the United States, with a focus on buying more defense equipment, including fighter jets, in Europe.—
Rob Gillies,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Protectorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protectorate. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
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