Definition of “state” - English Dictionary

All attempts at diplomacy have broken down and the two states now appear to be on a collision course.
Abortion is restricted in some American states.
The United States is a federation of 50 individual states.
Representatives of the member states will be meeting next week.
The creation of independent states has led to a resurgence of nationalism.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Countries, nationalities & continents: country & nation

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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Towns & regions: parts of countries

Countries, nationalities & continents: country names

Ceremonies

Idiom(s)

be in/get into a state

stateverb [ T ]

uk /steɪt/ us /steɪt/ formal

B2 to say or write something, especially clearly and carefully:

Our warranty clearly states the limits of our liability.

[ + (that) ] Union members stated (that) they were unhappy with the proposal.

[ + question word ] Please state why you wish to apply for this grant.

Children in the stated (= named) areas were at risk from a lack of food, the report said.

More examples

He stated firmly that no concessions will be made to the strikers.
The rebel leaders stated that they are willing to enter into dialogue with the government.
The police stated that some 50 rounds had been discharged.
The assessor stated that the fire damage was not as severe as the hotel's owner had claimed.
All recipes in this book, unless otherwise stated, will serve four to five people.

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Announcing, informing & stating

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stateadjective [ before noun ]

uk /steɪt/ us /steɪt/

B2 provided, created, or done by the state (= government of a country):

state education/industries

state legislature/law

state control

state funding/pensions/subsidies

› State events are formal official ceremonies that involve a leader of a country or someone who represents the government:

the state opening of Parliament

a state funeral

More examples

He's a strong advocate of state ownership of the railways.
They received state funding for the project.
I'm not interested in state handouts - all I want is a job.
The governor has denied making improper use of state money.
The police couldn't arrest him because he'd fled across the state line.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Politics - general words

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(Definition of “state” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“state” in American English

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(Definition of “state” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

“state” in Business English

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statenoun

uk /steɪt/ us

› [ C, usually singular ] the condition that someone or something is in at a particular time:

The offices were in a state of disrepair.

The index for capital goods production is a key indicator of the state of the economy.

They commented on the poor state of the company's finances.

Some economists are predicting that public finances will return to a healthy state within five years.

They are paid a stable, fair price, regardless of the current state of the market.

state of affairs

› a situation:

Poor decisions by the board bear most of the responsibility for this sorry state of affairs.

the state of play UK

› the present situation:

The meeting reviewed the state of play in each market.

› [ C ] also State GOVERNMENT a country with its own government:

the West African State of Ghana

The legislation requires the agreement of every one of the EU's member states.

In December 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was broken up into fifteen independent states.

› [ C ] also State GOVERNMENT a part of a large country such as Australia, Germany, or the US that has its own government:

The German federal states have a large degree of autonomy.

the northern/southern/eastern/western states of the US

The company operates hospitals in 12 states, including Texas and California.

The Navajo reservation stretches from Arizona into two neighbouring states.

› [ U or S ] also the state, also the State GOVERNMENT the government of a country:

funded/provided/run by the state

affairs/matters of state

The government was determined to reduce the number of state-owned industries.

They hope to reduce dependence on the state by paying benefits only to those whose income falls below a new, higher tax threshold.

the States [ plural ] informal

› used to refer to the United States of America:

If they wish to work in the States again, they must show proof of employment with a US-based employer.

state

However, let us state the fact that company management take a fundamentally financial approach and not always an industrial one, far from it, when defining their strategy.