England
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What is England? England is one of the divisions that make up the country of the United Kingdom. England is the largest and most populous of the four divisions. While England is sometimes referred to as a country, it is actually part of the sovereign nation known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly shortened to the United Kingdom or UK), along with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. England is by far the most populous of the four divisions, having over 56 million people in 2019. The next largest division, Scotland, had approximately 5. 4 million people living there in 2019. England is also the largest in geographic size, being nearly 20,000 square miles larger than next-biggest, Scotland. England makes up most of the southern half of the island of Great Britain, with Wales located to its west and Scotland to its north. The word England is often mistakenly used to refer to the whole of the UK. As well, the division between the national government of the UK and the regional government of England is much less clear than the same divisions for Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While the other three enjoy some degree of self-governance, England rarely does.
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The king or queen of England is the king or queen of the United Kingdom.
The name England is often used to refer to all of Great Britain.
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Along with Spain, France and England, Argentina are among the favourites to win the title.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
England superfan Shang Jianxing, who bought a Portugal pet carrier for a friend, believes China's football culture is at the start of becoming a way of life.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
The home was run by the Diocese of Carlisle and funded by grants from local authorities who sent women there from across the north-west of England.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Thousands of men in England who have prostate cancer will be offered high-powered precision radiotherapy that will slash the number of treatment sessions they need from 20 to just five.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Once I met Hortense, he urged me to woo her and then convince her to take me home to Ashton Place, so I could launch my business here, in England.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.