plural nations
1
a(1)
: nationality sense 2b
… [three Slav peoples] … forged into a Yugoslavia without really fusing into a Yugoslav nation.—
Hans Kohn
Hans Kohn
(2)
: a politically organized nationality
(3)
in the Bible
: a non-Jewish nationality
Why do the nations conspire … ?—Psalms 2:1 (Revised Standard Version)
Psalms 2:1 (Revised Standard Version)
b
: a community of people composed of one or more nationalities and possessing a more or less defined territory and government
Canada is a nation with a written constitution …—B. K. Sandwell
B. K. Sandwell
c
: a territorial division containing a body of people of one or more nationalities and usually characterized by relatively large size and independent status
… a nation of vast size with a small population …—Mary K. Hammond
Mary K. Hammond2
archaic
: group, aggregation
3
: a tribe or federation of tribes (as of Indigenous peoples)
a member of the Cherokee Nation
the Seminole Nation in Oklahoma
Examples of nation in a Sentence
It's one of the richest nations in the world.
the largest state in the nation
The President will speak to the nation tonight.
The entire nation is celebrating the victory.
Recent Examples on the Web
That mugshot—with her straight dark hair, motorcycle jacket, and flat, defiant stare—would come to represent a nation, and generation, in crisis; a startling declaration that America’s own sons and daughters had turned violently against their country.
—Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
The weakened 65-year-old cartel will remain with its five original members—Iran, Iraq, and Venezuela, as well as the Saudis and Kuwaitis—and six oil-producing African nations.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 19 May 2026
Meanwhile, nations have already begun deploying OFPV systems on reservoirs, lakes, as well as offshore waters to avoid competing with agriculture or urban development.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 19 May 2026
Major European nations — including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK — have thus far rejected direct military participation in the Iran conflict, showing a willingness to chart a more independent foreign policy.
—Dr. Robert Mogielnicki, semafor.com, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nation
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Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
The weakened 65-year-old cartel will remain with its five original members—Iran, Iraq, and Venezuela, as well as the Saudis and Kuwaitis—and six oil-producing African nations.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 19 May 2026
Meanwhile, nations have already begun deploying OFPV systems on reservoirs, lakes, as well as offshore waters to avoid competing with agriculture or urban development.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 19 May 2026
Major European nations — including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK — have thus far rejected direct military participation in the Iran conflict, showing a willingness to chart a more independent foreign policy.
—Dr. Robert Mogielnicki, semafor.com, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nation
Cite this Entry
“Nation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nation. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nation
noun
na·tion
ˈnā-shən 
2
: a community of people composed of one or more nationalities usually with its own territory and government
3
: the territory of a nation
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