sovereign 1 of 2

variants also sovran
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sovereign

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noun

variants also sovran

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sovereign contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sovereign are autonomous, free, and independent. While all these words mean "not subject to the rule or control of another," sovereign stresses the absence of a superior power and implies supremacy within a thing's own domain or sphere.

separate and sovereign armed services

Where would autonomous be a reasonable alternative to sovereign?

The meanings of autonomous and sovereign largely overlap; however, autonomous stresses independence in matters pertaining to self-government.

in this denomination each congregation is regarded as autonomous

When would free be a good substitute for sovereign?

While the synonyms free and sovereign are close in meaning, free stresses the complete absence of external rule and the full right to make all of one's own decisions.

you're free to do as you like

When is independent a more appropriate choice than sovereign?

In some situations, the words independent and sovereign are roughly equivalent. However, independent implies a standing alone; applied to a state it implies lack of connection with any other having power to interfere with its citizens, laws, or policies.

the colony's struggle to become independent

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sovereign
Adjective
Relations between Norway and Israel are strained — last year Norway formally recognized Palestine as a sovereign state. Dan Fellner, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2025 The sovereign state of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia will only exist for a matter of months. Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
Noun
Political cousins Canada and Australia share a lot in common: a political system, a major mining industry, a sovereign in King Charles. Matina Stevis-Gridneff, New York Times, 4 May 2025 There are just 24 Companions, and appointments are at the monarch's sole discretion to recognize public service or personal service to the sovereign. Simon Perry, People.com, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for sovereign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sovereign
Adjective
  • The Michigan woman’s family told PEOPLE that one particular food — the potato — is a main contributing factor to her living a long life.
    Brian Anthony Hernandez, People.com, 6 July 2025
  • Meander along the Big Bend Scenic Byway and stop along main streets and pull-offs that look interesting.
    Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 6 July 2025
Adjective
  • The autonomous vehicle industry is expected to expand considerably, and Waymo is well-positioned to capture a significant share of this burgeoning market.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Ukraine launched autonomous craft from catapults and snared Russian drones in fishing nets.
    Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • The ultimate ruler on the appeal of the board’s decision is the board.
    Mercury News Editorial, Mercury News, 27 June 2025
  • But today’s escalating tensions go back to 1953, when British oil companies and the CIA orchestrated a coup and installed the Shah of Iran, a secular ruler willing to accommodate Big Oil and other corporate interests in the West.
    Robert Polner, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • Fortunately, the various streaming platforms that ride sidecar with the primary ratings engine of TV are recapturing a healthy percentage of the younger crowd who represent the future of sports consumption.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 July 2025
  • For starters: The Heat returned to what essentially is their primary summer lineup, with Ware back after being held out of Tuesday’s finale of the California Classic.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • Breakthroughs on four separate fronts—bigger and better hardware, smarter algorithms, hybrid quantum-classical workflows and developer-friendly software—are compounding to pull the future forward.
    Yuval Boger, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • Meeting the challenge of finger-level control Achieving separate movement for each robotic finger is a real challenge.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • However, the long-reigning monarch never wore the Greville tiara in public, likely due to its significant connection to her late mother.
    Meredith Kile, People.com, 4 July 2025
  • The revolutionary focus was, and remains today, on the rights of the individual — not the state, not the monarch, not a corporate entity, not a particular economic or social class, and certainly not the military.
    Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 2 July 2025
Adjective
  • First launched in 1985, FIBO has become one of the earth’s foremost fitness and wellness-focused trade shows, with roughly 130,000 participants set to convene in Cologne, Germany in April 2026.
    Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • Ziegler, one of the world’s foremost experts on the history and law of reproductive rights in the U.S., draws on decades of scholarship.
    David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • The documentary, produced by independent company HOYO Films, aired on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in February before being subsequently removed from the streaming platform.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 July 2025
  • The film, which was an unsparing portrayal of the chaos in Gaza from the perspective of three young people, was later removed from iPlayer. How to Survive a Warzone was produced by Hoyo Films, an independent production company run by Emmy and BAFTA-winning filmmaker Jamie Roberts.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 14 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sovereign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sovereign. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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