Sovereignty — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈsä-v(ə-)rən-tē/ sov·er·eign·ty

Meaning & Definition of Sovereignty

Sovereignty (noun)

  1. supreme power especially over a body politic
  2. freedom from external control, autonomy
  3. controlling influence

Sovereignty (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the state of being free from the control or power of another

    "upon leaving home she felt that she had achieved sovereignty for the first time in her life"

    similar: autonomy, freedom, independence, independency, liberty, self-determination, self-governance, self-government
    related: emancipation, enfranchisement, liberation, manumission, release
    opposite: dependence, heteronomy, subjection, unfreedom
    near: captivity, enchainment, enslavement, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration, internment, subjugation

  2. a body of people composed of one or more nationalities usually with its own territory and government

    "as parts of the same sovereignty, the states should not enact laws intended to harm one another economically"

    similar: commonwealth, country, land, nation, state
    related: city-state, microstate, ministate, nation-state, domain, dominion, empire, kingdom, realm, republic, duchy, dukedom, emirate, principality, seigniory, sultanate, democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, monocracy, oligarchy, sovereign, theocracy, client state, colony, condominium, dependency, mandate, province, settlement, soil, trust territory, fatherland, homeland, motherland, great power, power, sea power, superpower, world power, welfare state

  3. controlling power or influence over others

    "the gradual sovereignty of English as the language of international communication"

    similar: ascendance, ascendancy, dominance, domination, dominion, hegemony, imperium, predominance, predominancy, preeminence, reign, supremacy
    related: primacy, superiority, lordship, scepter, arm, authority, choke hold, clutch, command, control, grip, hold, mastery, sway, takeover, direction, jurisdiction, management, clout, might, pull, weight, eminence, importance, moment, prerogative, privilege, right
    near: helplessness, weakness, impotence, impotency, powerlessness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Sovereignty

The most common words with a similar meaning to Sovereignty:

autonomy, freedom, independence, independency, liberty, self-determination, self-governance, self-government, commonwealth, country, land, nation, state, ascendance, ascendancy, dominance, domination, dominion, hegemony, imperium, predominance, predominancy, preeminence, reign, supremacy

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Sovereignty

Words with the opposite meaning of Sovereignty:

dependence, heteronomy, subjection, unfreedom

Related Words for Sovereignty

emancipation, enfranchisement, liberation, manumission, release, city-state, microstate, ministate, nation-state, domain, empire, kingdom, realm, republic, duchy, dukedom, emirate, principality, seigniory, sultanate, democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, monocracy, oligarchy, sovereign, theocracy, client state, colony, condominium

Near Antonyms of Sovereignty

captivity, enchainment, enslavement, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration, internment, subjugation, helplessness, weakness, impotence, impotency, powerlessness

Word Forms of Sovereignty

Inflections: sovereignties, sovranties

Origin & Etymology of Sovereignty

Middle English soverainte, from Anglo-French sovereinté, from soverein see sovereign:2

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Sovereignty

Words & Phrases Containing Sovereignty

popular sovereignty, squatter sovereignty

Frequently Asked Questions about Sovereignty

What does "Sovereignty" mean?

"Sovereignty" means supreme power especially over a body politic. As a noun, it is defined as: supreme power especially over a body politic. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Sovereignty"?

Other words for "Sovereignty" include autonomy, freedom, independence, independency, liberty, self-determination, self-governance and self-government. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Sovereignty" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Sovereignty"?

There are 98 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Sovereignty". Common alternatives include autonomy, freedom, independence, independency, liberty, self-determination, self-governance, self-government, commonwealth and country.

What is the opposite of "Sovereignty"?

Antonyms of "Sovereignty" include dependence, heteronomy, subjection and unfreedom. Near antonyms include captivity, enchainment, enslavement and immurement.

How do you use "Sovereignty" in a sentence?

Examples of "Sovereignty" in a sentence: "upon leaving home she felt that she had achieved sovereignty for the first time in her life"; "as parts of the same sovereignty, the states should not enact laws intended to harm one another economically"; "the gradual sovereignty of English as the language of international communication".

Is "Sovereignty" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Sovereignty" is a noun.

Is "Sovereignty" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Sovereignty" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Sovereignty"?

"Sovereignty" is pronounced /ˈsä-v(ə-)rən-tē/ and divided into syllables as sov·er·eign·ty.