annexation

American  

[an-ik-sey-shuhn, -ek-] / ˌæn ɪkˈseɪ ʃən, -ɛk- /

noun

1. the act or an instance of annexing, or adding to something larger, especially the incorporation of new territory into the domain of a city, country, or state.

2. the fact of being annexed.

   Annexation of the two parts of the Bronx in 1874 and 1895 gave New York City the last of its five boroughs.

3. something annexed.

   Victory in battle resulted in territorial annexations that remained difficult to govern.

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annexation British  

/ -ɛk-, ˌænɪkˈseɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of annexing, esp territory, or the condition of being annexed

2. something annexed

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Other Word Forms

• annexational adjective
• annexationism noun
• annexationist noun
• antiannexation adjective
• deannexation noun
• nonannexation noun
• proannexation adjective
• reannexation noun

Etymology

Origin of annexation

First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin annexātiōn-, stem of annexātiō, equivalent to annexāt(us) “joined to” (past participle of annexāre “to join to”; annex, -ate ¹ ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

But even a hypothetical mass annexation has a way of setting off a frenzy.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

A top UN official has warned that these amount to "gradual, de facto annexation."

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

House Speaker Mike Johnson said last week that Congress was “certainly not” considering a military annexation of Greenland.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

Denmark opposes U.S. annexation threats, stating there is no legal basis for the U.S. to annex its territory.

From Barron's • Jan. 6, 2026

It is thought that the American annexation of the moon as the fifty-first state ...

From "Feed" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• incorporation