stateless

American  

[steyt-lis] / ˈsteɪt lɪs /

adjective

1. lacking nationality.

2. Finance. of, relating to, or consisting of any currency deposited in banks outside the country of original issue.

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stateless British  

/ ˈsteɪtlɪs /

adjective

1. without nationality

   stateless persons

2. without a state or states

3. without ceremonial dignity

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Other Word Forms

• statelessness noun

Etymology

Origin of stateless

First recorded in 1600–10; state + -less

Example Sentences

And so he is essentially stateless, surviving on savings he accumulated as a truck driver in California.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026

Like many others, Ahmed's relatives live in Bangladesh, but he and his family have never had the chance to see them as they remain stateless.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

Under customary international law and the Law of the Sea Treaty, which our allies have ratified, stateless vessels may be boarded without violating a flag state’s rights.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

The sudden loss of power left the young crown prince and his family stateless, reliant on a dwindling circle of royalists and well-wishers in exile.

From BBC • Jan. 9, 2026

So many of my people were stuck in camps in Rwanda, displaced and stateless, living out their lives in tents.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana