sovereignty
Americannoun
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the quality or state of being sovereign, or of having supreme power or authority.
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the status, dominion, power, or authority of a sovereign; royal rank or position; royalty.
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supreme and independent power or authority in government as possessed or claimed by a state or community.
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rightful status, independence, or prerogative.
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a sovereign or independent state, community, or political unit.
noun
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supreme and unrestricted power, as of a state
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the position, dominion, or authority of a sovereign
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an independent state
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sovereignty
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English soverainte, from Anglo-French sovereynete, from Old French soverainete, equivalent to soverain sovereign + -ete -ty 2
Explanation
Sovereignty can describe the power of one state or thing over another or the freedom a state or thing has to control itself. Look closely at the word sovereignty, and you will see it is all about who reigns, or rules. Although sovereignty is usually used in a political sense — particularly the power of nations, it can be used to describe personal control as well: If your mother insists upon your wearing wool hats in summertime, you might declare complete sovereignty over your wardrobe. The word is also occasionally used for the power of royalty, like a queen.
Vocabulary lists containing sovereignty
The American Civil War
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Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
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Human Geography - Middle School
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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.
"Together with Germany, we are today taking a major step toward sovereignty in our defence," said French President Emmanuel Macron on X, after Monday's announcement.
From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026
The text of the agreement also calls for the permanent cessation of the conflict and for Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty to be ensured.
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
The US-Iran deal calls for an end to hostilities on all fronts, and for Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty to be respected.
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
The first clause mentions Lebanon three times and commits the U.S. to ensuring its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
On the all-important question of sovereignty, the same artfully contrived ambiguity also obtained: Sovereignty did not reside with the federal government or the individual states; it resided with “the people.”
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
