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Meaning & use

nation

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈneɪʃn/
US/ˈneɪʃn/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A country seen as a community of people with its own government, land and shared identity.

    Grammar: Countable; can take a singular or plural verb in British English when it means the people.

    Patterns

    • a nation of something
    • the whole nation

    The president spoke to the nation on television.

    Japan is a proud island nation.

    The nation mourned the loss of its leader.

  2. nouncountable

    A large group of people with a shared culture, language and history, even if they do not have their own state.

    Grammar: Stresses shared identity more than government.

    Patterns

    • the Navajo Nation

    The Cherokee Nation has its own government.

    Kurds see themselves as a nation without a state.

    A shared language helped the people feel like one nation.

  3. nounsingular

    All the people of a country taken together.

    Grammar: Used with the: the nation was shocked.

    Patterns

    • the whole nation

    The whole nation watched the final.

    The nation is divided over the new law.

    A grieving nation gathered in the capital.

Word forms

pluralnations

Common combinations

address the nation
The prime minister will address the nation tonight.
island nation
Iceland is a small island nation.
the United Nations
She works for the United Nations.
developing nation
The charity helps families in a developing nation.
unite a nation
The victory helped unite a divided nation.

Synonyms and how they differ

country
Country is the everyday word for a territory with borders, while nation focuses on the people and their identity.
state
State focuses on government and law, while nation focuses on a shared identity.
people
People is broader, and can mean an ethnic group, while nation implies a larger political or cultural body.
republic
Republic names a type of government, whereas nation says nothing about how the country is ruled.

Word family

national adjective
relating to a whole country
national noun
a citizen of a particular country
nationality noun
legal membership of a nation
nationalism noun
strong devotion to one's nation
international adjective
between nations

Commonly confused: nation or notion?

nation vs notion

Notion means an idea or belief and is a different word, though the two look somewhat similar when read quickly.

Practice

The prime minister will speak to the ___ on television this evening.

Make it your own

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