Meaning & use
sovereign
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Having complete and independent power to govern a territory, without control from any outside authority.
Grammar: Used before a noun, as in a sovereign state; not usually after a verb.
Patterns
- sovereign state
- sovereign nation
- sovereign power
After the war, the region became a sovereign state.
The constitution declares that the people are sovereign.
Each country has sovereign control over its own borders.
nouncountableformal
A king, queen, or other supreme ruler of a country.
Grammar: Countable; plural is sovereigns. Often used in formal or historical writing.
Patterns
- the sovereign
- a reigning sovereign
The sovereign opened the new parliament building.
In a monarchy, the sovereign is the head of state.
The crown belongs to the sovereign.
Word forms
| plural | sovereigns |
|---|
Common combinations
- sovereign state
- A sovereign state makes its own laws.
- sovereign power
- The sovereign power to declare war lies with the parliament.
- sovereign control
- The country has sovereign control over its airspace.
- the sovereign people
- The constitution says the sovereign people elect their leaders.
Synonyms and how they differ
- independent
- Focuses on not being ruled by others, but does not necessarily imply supreme authority; sovereign is stronger and more formal.
- autonomous
- Means self-governing but often within a larger state; sovereign implies full and final authority.
- supreme
- Means highest in rank or power, but not limited to political rule; sovereign is specifically about governing a territory.
Opposites
Word family
- sovereignty noun
- The full right and power of a country to govern itself.
Commonly confused: sovereign or sovran?
sovereign vs sovran
An archaic spelling of sovereign; use the modern spelling in all current writing.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'sovereign' correctly as an adjective?
Choose one answer.
In 'sovereign state', sovereign is an adjective meaning fully independent. Option 0 uses sovereign as a noun (a ruler), and options 2 and 3 use it incorrectly as an adverb or adjective after a linking verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sovereign”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.