sovereignty

sovereignty — noun

1. the highest political power held by a country or state, which allows it to gover

1.nounB2
Definition

the highest political power held by a country or state, which allows it to govern itself and make its own laws and decisions without being controlled by other countries

Example

The two countries agreed to respect each other's national sovereignty under the new treaty.

collocation: national sovereignty / respect sovereignty

Andrés believes that a nation's sovereignty should never be traded away for economic benefits.

sovereignty + should never be traded — value judgment pattern

Common collocations
  • national sovereignty
  • full sovereignty
  • sovereignty over [territory]
  • declare sovereignty
  • respect sovereignty
  • exercise sovereignty
  • sovereignty dispute
  • sovereignty claim
Synonyms
  • authority

    broader term; used for the right to make decisions in any context (parental, managerial, governmental), not limited to nations

  • autonomy

    focuses on the freedom to self-govern without outside control; can apply to regions, institutions, or individuals, not just states

  • independence

    emphasizes freedom from external control; 'independence' is a precondition of sovereignty, but sovereignty adds the dimension of having supreme authority over a territory

Antonyms
  • subjugation

    the state of being controlled by an external power, the opposite of self-government

  • dependency

    a territory that depends on another country and lacks full control over its own affairs

Grammar Patterns

sovereignty of [country/territory]

sovereignty over [territory]

Usage Note

Typically used in political and legal contexts. The phrase 'full sovereignty' emphasizes complete independence and self-rule. When discussing disputed territory, the pattern 'sovereignty over [place]' is common: 'sovereignty over the islands'.

Common Mistakes

The manager has sovereignty over her team.
The manager has authority over her team.
'sovereignty' is a political concept for countries or states, not for general managerial power.
Taiwan is a sovereignty.
Taiwan exercises sovereignty as an independent country.
'sovereignty' is uncountable and describes a condition, not an entity.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all relate to the power to act or decide, but they differ in scope and domain. AUTHORITY is the broadest term: it refers to the right to make decisions in any context — parental, managerial, governmental. AUTONOMY focuses on freedom from outside control; it applies to individuals, regions, or organizations that govern their own affairs (e.g. 'the university has academic autonomy'). INDEPENDENCE emphasizes the condition of being free from another's control, especially for a former colony or dependent territory. SOVEREIGNTY is the narrowest and most formal: it means the supreme political authority of a state over its territory, including the exclusive right to make laws and conduct foreign policy. Example comparison: 'Hong Kong has a high degree of autonomy but is not a sovereign state.' 'The former colony achieved independence in 1965.' 'A judge has the authority to sentence criminals.' No other country can claim sovereignty over the islands.

sovereignty ↗authority ↗autonomy ↗independence ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • sovereignty dispute
  • sovereignty claim
  • sovereignty issue

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinVulgar LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'sovereignty' entered English through Old French 'soverainete', which came from Vulgar Latin 'superanus', meaning 'chief' or 'supreme'. The root is Latin 'super' (above or over). The '-ty' suffix turns 'sovereign' into a noun referring to the state or quality of being supreme in power.