the States
plural noun
informal
: the United States of America
My cousin from England is coming to visit me in the States.
Examples of the States in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Initially, when Djena got to the States, she was tasked with taking care of Denise and Mohamed’s youngest child, Timou, who was not yet two years old.
—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Back in the States, Ted was alone.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 17 May 2026
Paul Feig attempted to remake Motherland in the States but the ABC pilot didn’t make it to series.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 May 2026
The 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, is the second time that World Cup games will be played in the States.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 14 May 2026
In 2003, Obsesión toured the States and shared a bill at the Apollo with The Roots.
—Bill Kopp, SPIN, 13 May 2026
Following a handful of summer shows, the London post-rockers will kick things off in Dorset in September before heading back to North America for stops through Canada and the States.
—Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026
As an American soccer prodigy who blazed a path once thought near impossible for a player from the States, Pulisic is already the most influential American men’s soccer player in the country’s 250-year history.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 7 May 2026
The nanny would also come back to the States with the Ginsbergs during summertime.
—Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
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Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Back in the States, Ted was alone.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 17 May 2026
Paul Feig attempted to remake Motherland in the States but the ABC pilot didn’t make it to series.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 May 2026
The 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, is the second time that World Cup games will be played in the States.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 14 May 2026
In 2003, Obsesión toured the States and shared a bill at the Apollo with The Roots.
—Bill Kopp, SPIN, 13 May 2026
Following a handful of summer shows, the London post-rockers will kick things off in Dorset in September before heading back to North America for stops through Canada and the States.
—Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026
As an American soccer prodigy who blazed a path once thought near impossible for a player from the States, Pulisic is already the most influential American men’s soccer player in the country’s 250-year history.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 7 May 2026
The nanny would also come back to the States with the Ginsbergs during summertime.
—Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“The States.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20States. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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