as in territory
a small country that is controlled and protected by a larger one
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Recent Examples of protectorate
Elon Musk's assault on the federal government has supercharged Tesla's evolution from liberal status symbol to pride-of-MAGA protectorate.
—
Nathan Bomey, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025
De jure and de facto European protectorates, such as China, Egypt, Tunisia, and the Ottoman Empire, belonged to the gray zone of states that were nominally independent but in reality were under the thumb of European powers.
—Branko Milanovic, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022
Military setbacks forced Khmelnytsky to search for allies, and after the Pereyaslav Treaty of 1654, the Cossack lands became a protectorate of the Russian tsars.
—Karina Zaiets, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2013
Wharton visited the French protectorate to write a book that would appeal to tourists.
—New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for protectorate
Nathan Bomey, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025
De jure and de facto European protectorates, such as China, Egypt, Tunisia, and the Ottoman Empire, belonged to the gray zone of states that were nominally independent but in reality were under the thumb of European powers.
—Branko Milanovic, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022
Military setbacks forced Khmelnytsky to search for allies, and after the Pereyaslav Treaty of 1654, the Cossack lands became a protectorate of the Russian tsars.
—Karina Zaiets, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2013
Wharton visited the French protectorate to write a book that would appeal to tourists.
—New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for protectorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protectorate
Noun
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China claims Taiwan as its territory, to be retaken by force if necessary.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Apr. 2025
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Recognizing Russia's control of Crimea would deliver a major win for Putin, who has long pushed for international legitimacy over the territory.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In 2011, just before a tsunami engulfed the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, the Swiss parliament had discussed discontinuing the 1963 shelter mandate.—
Jessi Jezewska Stevens,
The Dial,
24 Apr. 2025
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While Google has been gradually nudging employees back to the office, this latest move amounts to a crack down on workers dodging the hybrid-schedule mandates.—
Shannon Carroll,
Quartz,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Rapid expansion without profitability is a recipe for dependency on external funding.—
Jonathan Low,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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Over time, this dynamic may develop into a toxic cycle of dependency.—
Eddie Brummelman,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Protectorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protectorate. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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