Singapore
Americannoun
-
an island on the Strait of Singapore, off the S tip of the Malay Peninsula.
-
an independent republic comprising this island and a few adjacent islets: member of the Commonwealth of Nations; formerly a British crown colony (1946–59) and member of the federation of Malaysia (1963–65). 220 sq. mi. (570 sq. km). Singapore.
-
a seaport in and the capital of this republic.
noun
-
a republic in SE Asia, occupying one main island and over 50 small islands at the S end of the Malay Peninsula: established as a British trading post in 1819 and became part of the Straits Settlements in 1826; occupied by the Japanese (1942–45); a British colony from 1946, becoming self-governing in 1959; part of the Federation of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965, when it became an independent republic (within the Commonwealth). Official languages: Chinese, Malay, English, and Tamil. Religion: Buddhist, Taoist, traditional beliefs, and Muslim. Currency: Singapore dollar. Capital: Singapore. Pop: 5 460 302 (2013 est). Area: now over 700 sq km (270 sq miles), increased in recent years as a result of land reclamation schemes
-
the capital of the republic of Singapore: a major international port; administratively not treated as a city
Discover More
It is one of the world's biggest and busiest ports.
Though only 225 square miles in size, it is a major economic power in Asia.
A British colony from 1946 to 1959, Singapore then became independent.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
If it were true, he quipped, a small country like Singapore would have been swallowed by its neighbors a long time ago.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
The Kospi piled on more than three percent, while Taipei added almost two percent, with Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, Manila and Wellington also up.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
"In 2011, 2012, 2013, the jet fuel prices were over $130 a barrel, and the industry was profitable," he told a press conference in Singapore in April.
From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026
Singapore has a supportive environment for these kinds of food experiments.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
The British were driven from Malaya and into surrender in Singapore in seventy days.
From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand
![]()
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.