ship of state

noun phrase

: the affairs of a state symbolized as a ship on a course

Examples of ship of state in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These Department of Government Efficiency volunteers are on a patriotic mission to repair our ship of state. — Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2025 Land is actively anti-democratic, desiring a system where great men (guided by algorithms and artificial intelligence) steer the ship of state. — Ed Simon, TIME, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ship of state was in 1615

Rhymes for ship of state

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Browse Nearby Words

ship money
ship of state
ship of the line
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Cite this Entry

“Ship of state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ship%20of%20state. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

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