States

UK: /ˈsteɪts/

From the verb state: (⇒ conjugate)

states is: ⓘ

v 3rd person singular

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

States / steɪts/ noun

1. the States ⇒ (functioning as singular or plural)
   an informal name for United States of America

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

state /steɪt/   n., adj., v., stat•ed, stat•ing. 
n. 

1. the condition of a person or thing with respect to circumstances or experiences;
   the way something is:
   [countable* usually singular] the state of one's health.
2. the condition of substances with respect to structure, form, etc.:
   [countable] Water in a gaseous state is steam.
3. status or position in life, esp. for a person of wealth and rank:
   [uncountable] to travel in state.
4. a tense, nervous, or disturbed condition:
   [countable* usually singular] I was in a state over losing my job.
5. Government a politically unified people occupying a definite territory;
   nation:
   [countable* sometimes: State] the State of Israel.
6. Government [countable* sometimes: State] any of the political units that together make up a federal union, as in the United States of America.
7. Government the authority, rule, and administration of a country:
   [uncountable] affairs of state.

adj. [before a noun]

8. Government of or relating to the central civil government.
9. Government of, maintained by, or under the authority of a unit of a federal union:
   a state highway.
10. characterized by, or involving, ceremony:
    a state dinner.

v. 

11. to declare or say, as in speech or writing: [~ + object]
    Please state your name and address.
    [used with quotations]
    "I was there,'' he stated, "and I saw the whole crime.''
12. to set forth in definite form:
    [~ + object] to state a problem.

Idioms

13. Idioms lie in state, [no object] (of a corpse) to be exhibited publicly with honors before burial.

state•hood, n. [uncountable] See -stat-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

state (stāt),  n., adj., v., stat•ed, stat•ing. 

n. 

1. the condition of a person or thing, as with respect to circumstances or attributes:
   a state of health.
2. the condition of matter with respect to structure, form, constitution, phase, or the like:
   water in a gaseous state.
3. status, rank, or position in life;
   station:
   He dresses in a manner befitting his state.
4. the style of living befitting a person of wealth and high rank:
   to travel in state.
5. a particular condition of mind or feeling:
   to be in an excited state.
6. an abnormally tense, nervous, or perturbed condition:
   He's been in a state since hearing about his brother's death.
7. Government a politically unified people occupying a definite territory;
   nation.
8. Government the territory, or one of the territories, of a government.
9. Government (sometimes cap.) any of the bodies politic which together make up a federal union, as in the United States of America.
10. Government the body politic as organized for civil rule and government (distinguished from church).
11. Government the operations or activities of a central civil government:
    affairs of state.
12. Government, Informal Terms (cap.) Also called State Department. [Informal.] the Department of State.
13. Printing a set of copies of an edition of a publication which differ from others of the same printing because of additions, corrections, or transpositions made during printing or at any time before publication.
14. lie in state, (of a corpse) to be exhibited publicly with honors before burial:
    The president's body lay in state for two days.
15. Informal Terms the States, the United States (usually used outside its borders):
    After a year's study in Spain, he returned to the States.

adj. 

16. Government of or pertaining to the central civil government or authority.
17. Government made, maintained, or chartered by or under the authority of one of the commonwealths that make up a federal union:
    a state highway; a state bank.
18. characterized by, attended with, or involving ceremony:
    a state dinner.
19. used on or reserved for occasions of ceremony.

v.t. 

20. to declare definitely or specifically:
    She stated her position on the case.
21. to set forth formally in speech or writing:
    to state a hypothesis.
22. to set forth in proper or definite form:
    to state a problem.
23. to say.
24. to fix or settle, as by authority.

• Latin status (rērum) state (of things) or status (reī pūblicae) state (of the republic)
• Latin status condition (see status); in defs. 7–11
• Middle English stat (noun, nominal), partly aphetic variant of estat estate, partly 1175–1225

stat′a•ble, state′a•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. State, condition, situation, status are terms for existing circumstances or surroundings.
  State is the general word, often with no concrete implications or material relationships:
  the present state of affairs.
  Condition carries an implication of a relationship to causes and circumstances:
  The conditions made flying impossible.
  Situation suggests an arrangement of circumstances, related to one another and to the character of a person:
  He was master of the situation.
  Status carries official or legal implications; it suggests a complete picture of interrelated circumstances as having to do with rank, position, standing, a stage reached in progress, etc.:
  the status of negotiations.
• 3. standing.
• 18. stately, ceremonial, imposing, dignified.
• 20. aver, assert, asseverate, affirm. See maintain. 
• 24. determine.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

state / steɪt/ noun

1. the condition of a person, thing, etc, with regard to main attributes
2. the structure, form, or constitution of something: a solid state
3. any mode of existence
4. position in life or society; estate
5. ceremonious style, as befitting wealth or dignity: to live in state
6. a sovereign political power or community
7. the territory occupied by such a community
8. the sphere of power in such a community: affairs of state
9. (often capital) one of a number of areas or communities having their own governments and forming a federation under a sovereign government, as in the US
10. (often capital) the body politic of a particular sovereign power, esp as contrasted with a rival authority such as the Church
11. a class or order; estate
12. a nervous, upset, or excited condition (esp in the phrase in a state)
13. lie in state ⇒ (of a body) to be placed on public view before burial
14. state of affairs ⇒ a situation; present circumstances or condition

modifier

1. controlled or financed by a state: state university
2. of, relating to, or concerning the State: State trial
3. involving ceremony or concerned with a ceremonious occasion: state visit

verb (tr; may take a clause as object)

1. to articulate in words; utter
2. to declare formally or publicly

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French estat, from Latin status a standing, from stāre to stand

ˈstatable, ˈstateable adjective

ˈstatehood noun