sovereignty
noun
sov·er·eign·ty ˈsä-v(ə-)rən-tē 
-vərn-tē,
also ˈsə-
variants or less commonly sovranty
plural sovereignties also sovranties
1
a
: supreme power especially over a body politic
b
: freedom from external control : autonomy
c
: controlling influence
2
: one that is sovereign
especially : an autonomous state
3
obsolete : supreme excellence or an example of it
Synonyms
- autonomy
- freedom
- independence
- independency
- liberty
- self-determination
- self-governance
- self-government
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Nor was the sovereignty of the Native Hawaiian race recognized at the time Hawaii became a state. 
Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 18 July 2005 Cesaire's wrenching chant of self-affirmation announced a new era of intellectual and cultural sovereignty for black writers in French. Lila Azam Zanganeh, New York Times Book Review, 12 June 2005 The position plunged him into a supremely complicated religious and political game. Throughout Europe the old order of divinely sanctioned kingdoms was battling models of popular sovereignty and citizenship inspired by the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and the adolescent U.S. David Van Biema, Time, 4 Sept. 2000 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
Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 18 July 2005 Cesaire's wrenching chant of self-affirmation announced a new era of intellectual and cultural sovereignty for black writers in French. Lila Azam Zanganeh, New York Times Book Review, 12 June 2005 The position plunged him into a supremely complicated religious and political game. Throughout Europe the old order of divinely sanctioned kingdoms was battling models of popular sovereignty and citizenship inspired by the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and the adolescent U.S. David Van Biema, Time, 4 Sept. 2000 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 Recent Examples on the Web While the priority for Chinese leaders at that time was a smooth handover of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty, the stakes this time are much higher for Beijing and for Mr. Xi in particular. Joyu Wang, WSJ, 1 Aug. 2022 The vice president vowed that the U.S. was committed to Ukraine's sovereignty. Compiled Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 20 Feb. 2022 Russia’s war imperils what China often asserts as the most fundamental tenet of international order: respect for state sovereignty. Tom Rogan, WSJ, 22 Aug. 2022 Panels take on topics including disappearing languages and tribal sovereignty. Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 30 June 2022 Queen Liliʻuokalani is an early advocate for Hawaiian sovereignty and the last monarch of Hawaii. Deena Zaru, ABC News, 27 May 2022 Agency workers will get trained as well, learning a historic and legal overview about tribal sovereignty and cultural sensitivities. Terry Tang, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Aug. 2022 Republican lawmakers have assailed the Biden administration for negotiating a bad deal and trampling on U.S. sovereignty. Aharon Friedman, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 In 2010, the state of Nayarit included a provision in its constitution on genomic sovereignty. Emiliano Rodríguez Mega, STAT, 12 Aug. 2022 See More
Joyu Wang, WSJ, 1 Aug. 2022 The vice president vowed that the U.S. was committed to Ukraine's sovereignty. Compiled Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 20 Feb. 2022 Russia’s war imperils what China often asserts as the most fundamental tenet of international order: respect for state sovereignty. Tom Rogan, WSJ, 22 Aug. 2022 Panels take on topics including disappearing languages and tribal sovereignty. Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 30 June 2022 Queen Liliʻuokalani is an early advocate for Hawaiian sovereignty and the last monarch of Hawaii. Deena Zaru, ABC News, 27 May 2022 Agency workers will get trained as well, learning a historic and legal overview about tribal sovereignty and cultural sensitivities. Terry Tang, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Aug. 2022 Republican lawmakers have assailed the Biden administration for negotiating a bad deal and trampling on U.S. sovereignty. Aharon Friedman, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 In 2010, the state of Nayarit included a provision in its constitution on genomic sovereignty. Emiliano Rodríguez Mega, STAT, 12 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English soverainte, from Anglo-French sovereinté, from soverein — see sovereign entry 2
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Phrases Containing sovereignty
Kids Definition
sovereignty
noun
sov·er·eign·ty ˈsä-və-rən-tē
ˈsä-vrən-
plural sovereignties
1
: supreme power especially over a political unit (as a country)
2
: a country's independent authority and right of self-control
Legal Definition
sovereignty
noun
sov·er·eign·ty
ˈsä-vrən-tē, ˈsə-, -və-rən-
plural sovereignties
1
a
: supreme power especially over a body politic
b
: freedom from external control : autonomy
2
: one that is sovereign
especially : an autonomous state
sovereignty
noun
variants also sovranty
1
as in independence
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- independence
- independency
- freedom
- liberty
- autonomy
- self-governance
- emancipation
- liberation
- self-determination
- self-government
- manumission
- enfranchisement
- release
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dependence
- subjection
- dependance
- heteronomy
- subjugation
- unfreedom
- enslavement
- captivity
- imprisonment
- incarceration
- internment
- enchainment
- immurement
2
as in nation
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- nation
- state
- commonwealth
- country
- kingdom
- empire
- land
- republic
- sovereign
- democracy
- dominion
- domain
- province
- monarchy
- dictatorship
- homeland
- principality
- nation-state
- duchy
- realm
- mandate
- soil
- trust territory
- settlement
- fatherland
- seigniory
- ministate
- dukedom
- dependency
- microstate
- superpower
- oligarchy
- sultanate
- theocracy
- monocracy
- colony
- power
- emirate
- city-state
- sea power
- motherland
- sovran
- welfare state
- world power
- great power
- client state
- condominium
- seignory
3
as in supremacy
controlling power or influence over others the gradual sovereignty of English as the language of international communication Synonyms & Similar Words
- supremacy
- dominance
- domination
- hegemony
- dominion
- superiority
- ascendancy
- importance
- imperium
- ascendance
- preeminence
- predominance
- ascendency
- reign
- management
- primacy
- ascendence
- predominancy
- lordship
- jurisdiction
- direction
- takeover
- control
- mastery
- authority
- scepter
- prerogative
- privilege
- sway
- arm
- right
- eminence
- command
- clutch
- clout
- might
- grip
- moment
- hold
- choke hold
- weight
- pull
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- helplessness
- weakness
- powerlessness
- impotence
- impotency