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
In contrast, actuarial models look decades ahead, reflecting the long-term liabilities of pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and infrastructure investments. Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025 The new brand campaign arrives three months after the tour hosted its finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the first time in December after the WTA signed a sponsorship pact with the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, PIF, last May. Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
Andrew’s response is more petulance; more younger brother than the adult, aging son of the sovereign. Jack King, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024 Much better to be overlooked and underappreciated than in the sovereign’s good graces. Eva Wolchover, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sovereign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sovereign
Adjective
  • My one and only visit was decades ago, in middle school, when my main priority was riding the roller coaster.
    Mariah Tyler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2025
  • In addition to a cozy and updated three-bedroom, 1,600-square-foot main home, there’s a small 19th-century cabin with a rock chimney still standing on the property.
    David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • China-based e-Hang has already certified its two-person, autonomous air taxi with that country’s aviation authority.
    Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Employees at Uber are already taking autonomous trips in Atlanta.
    Alexandra Skores, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Her cold, calculating demeanor and constant desire to be in authority also reflect Capricorn's planetary ruler, Saturn.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Now, after 13 years of civil war and more than half a century of subjugation under the Assad regime, the Druze in Hader seem to have little appetite for taking their chances with the new ruler in Damascus.
    Uriel Heilman, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The money could give him a significant edge with just four months to go until the primary election.
    Gloria Pazmino, CNN, 1 Mar. 2025
  • The interface consists of selecting a primary tool and then a contextual menu at the bottom of the screen with the options for that tool.
    Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Banner's trauma is key to the creation of the Hulk as a separate persona and the fact that this hasn't been mentioned at all in the MCU seems criminal.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025
  • In separate campaigns, the National Action Network, a civil rights organization, plans to release a report in April on some companies that have retreated from diversity programs.
    Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • As the next monarch, William holds the key to the pomp and pageantry Trump admires.
    Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2025
  • But as Eden pointed out, Charles and subsequent monarchs have the power to take the title away.
    Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The biographical circumstances and the reddish tinge of the foremost prisoner’s hair have led commentators to interpret the image metaphorically, even solipsistically––the prisoner becomes a cipher for van Gogh, physically and psychologically incarcerated.
    Sarah C. Schaefer, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.
    Christian Oberbeck, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Shaw is an independent producer and entrepreneur who founded animation firm BWA Studios, which has produced content and marketing materials for HBO, Netflix, Hulu, Mattel and Sony Music, among others.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 4 Mar. 2025
  • In their view, independent agencies shouldn't be independent.
    Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 4 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sovereign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sovereign. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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