UNITED STATES

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does United States mean? 

• UNITED STATES (noun)
  The noun UNITED STATES has 2 senses:

1. North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

2. the executive and legislative and judicial branches of the federal government of the United States

  Familiarity information: UNITED STATES used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNITED STATES (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

America; the States; U.S.; U.S.A.; United States; United States of America; US; USA

Instance hypernyms:

North American country; North American nation (any country on the North American continent)

Meronyms (parts of "United States"):

East; eastern United States (the region of the United States lying to the north of the Ohio River and to the east of the Mississippi River)

middle west; Midwest; midwestern United States (the north central region of the United States (sometimes called the heartland or the breadbasket of America))

Pacific Northwest (a region of the northwestern United States usually including Washington and Oregon and sometimes southwestern British Columbia)

American state (one of the 50 states of the United States)

West; western United States (the region of the United States lying to the west of the Mississippi River)

Colony (one of the 13 British colonies that formed the original states of the United States)

New England (a region of northeastern United States comprising Maine and New Hampshire and Vermont and Massachusetts and Rhode Island and Connecticut)

Mid-Atlantic states (a region of the eastern United States comprising New York and New Jersey and Pennsylvania and Delaware and Maryland)

South (the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line)

Sunbelt (states in the south and southwest that have a warm climate and tend to be politically conservative)

North (the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line)

Dakota (the area of the states of North Dakota and South Dakota)

AL; Ala.; Alabama; Camellia State; Heart of Dixie (a state in the southeastern United States on the Gulf of Mexico; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War)

AK; Alaska; Last Frontier (a state in northwestern North America; the 49th state admitted to the union)

Arizona; AZ; Grand Canyon State (a state in southwestern United States; site of the Grand Canyon)

AR; Ark.; Arkansas; Land of Opportunity (a state in south central United States; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War)

CA; Calif.; California; Golden State (a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes)

Centennial State; CO; Colo.; Colorado (a state in west central United States in the Rocky Mountains)

Connecticut; Constitution State; CT; Ct.; Nutmeg State (a New England state; one of the original 13 colonies)

DE; Del.; Delaware; Diamond State; First State (a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies)

D.C.; DC; District of Columbia (the district occupied entirely by the city of Washington; chosen by George Washington as the site of the capital of the United States and created out of land ceded by Maryland and Virginia)

Everglade State; FL; Fla.; Florida; Sunshine State (a state in southeastern United States between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War. In Spanish, Florida means Flowery)

Empire State of the South; GA; Ga.; Georgia; Peach State (a state in southeastern United States; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War)

Aloha State; Haw.; Hawai'i; Hawaii; HI (a state in the United States in the central Pacific on the Hawaiian Islands)

Gem State; ID; Id.; Idaho (a state in the Rocky Mountains)

IL; Ill.; Illinois; Land of Lincoln; Prairie State (a midwestern state in north-central United States)

Hoosier State; IN; Ind.; Indiana; Hawkeye State; IA; Ia.; Iowa; Kan.; Kansas; KS; Sunflower State (a state in midwestern United States)

Bluegrass State; Ken.; Kentucky; KY (a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses)

Louisiana Purchase (territory in the western United States purchased from France in 1803 for $15 million; extends from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada)

LA; La.; Louisiana; Pelican State (a state in southern United States on the Gulf of Mexico; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War)

Maine; ME; Me.; Pine Tree State (a state in New England)

Free State; Maryland; MD; Md.; Old Line State (a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies)

Bay State; MA; Mass.; Massachusetts; Old Colony (a state in New England; one of the original 13 colonies)

Great Lakes State; MI; Mich.; Michigan; Wolverine State (a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region)

Gopher State; Minn.; Minnesota; MN; North Star State (a midwestern state)

Magnolia State; Miss.; Mississippi; MS (a state in the Deep South on the gulf of Mexico; one of the Confederate States during the American Civil War)

Missouri; MO; Mo.; Show Me State (a midwestern state in central United States; a border state during the American Civil War, Missouri was admitted to the Confederacy without actually seceding from the Union)

Mont.; Montana; MT; Treasure State (a state in northwestern United States on the Canadian border)

Cornhusker State; NE; Neb.; Nebraska (a midwestern state on the Great Plains)

Battle Born State; Nev.; Nevada; NV; Sagebrush State; Silver State (a state in the western United States)

Granite State; N.H.; New Hampshire; NH (a state in New England; one of the original 13 colonies)

Garden State; Jersey; N.J.; New Jersey; NJ (a Mid-Atlantic state on the Atlantic; one of the original 13 colonies)

Land of Enchantment; N.M.; New Mexico; NM (a state in southwestern United States on the Mexican border)

Empire State; N.Y.; New York; New York State; NY (a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies)

N.C.; NC; North Carolina; Old North State; Tar Heel State (a state in southeastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies)

N.D.; ND; North Dakota; Peace Garden State (a state of north central United States bordering on Canada)

Buckeye State; OH; Ohio (a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region)

OK; Okla.; Oklahoma; Sooner State (a state in south central United States)

Beaver State; OR; Ore.; Oregon (a state in northwestern United States on the Pacific)

Keystone State; PA; Pa.; Pennsylvania (a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies)

Little Rhody; Ocean State; R.I.; Rhode Island; RI (a state in New England; one of the original 13 colonies; the smallest state)

Palmetto State; S.C.; SC; South Carolina (a state in the Deep South; one of the original 13 colonies)

Coyote State; Mount Rushmore State; S.D.; SD; South Dakota (a state in north central United States)

Tenn.; Tennessee; TN; Volunteer State (a state in east central United States)

Lone-Star State; Tex.; Texas; TX (the second largest state; located in southwestern United States on the Gulf of Mexico)

Beehive State; Mormon State; UT; Ut.; Utah (a state in the western United States; settled in 1847 by Mormons led by Brigham Young)

Green Mountain State; Vermont; VT; Vt. (a state in New England)

Old Dominion; Old Dominion State; VA; Va.; Virginia (a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War)

Evergreen State; WA; Wash.; Washington (a state in northwestern United States on the Pacific)

Mountain State; W.V.; West Virginia; WV (a state in east central United States)

Badger State; WI; Wis.; Wisc.; Wisconsin (a midwestern state in north central United States)

Equality State; WY; Wyo.; Wyoming (a state in the western United States; mountainous in the west and north with the Great Plains in the east)

Connecticut; Connecticut River (a river in the northeastern United States; flows south from northern New Hampshire along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont and through Massachusetts and Connecticut where it empties into Long Island Sound)

Great Lakes (a group of five large, interconnected lakes in central North America)

Mississippi; Mississippi River (a major North American river and the chief river of the United States; rises in northern Minnesota and flows southward into the Gulf of Mexico)

Missouri; Missouri River (the longest river in the United States; arises in Montana and flows southeastward to become a tributary of the Mississippi at Saint Louis)

New River (a river in the southeastern United States that flows northward from North Carolina to West Virginia where it empties into the Kanawha River)

Niagara; Niagara River (a river flowing from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario; forms boundary between Ontario and New York)

Niobrara; Niobrara River (a tributary of the Missouri River)

Ohio; Ohio River (a river that is formed in western Pennsylvania and flows westward to become a tributary of the Mississippi River)

Rio Bravo; Rio Grande (a North American river; boundary between the United States and Mexico; flows into Gulf of Mexico)

Saint Lawrence; Saint Lawrence River; St. Lawrence; St. Lawrence River (a North American river; flows into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the North Atlantic)

Twin; Twin Falls (a waterfall in the Snake River in southern Idaho)

Yosemite; Yosemite Falls (a series of waterfalls in Yosemite National Park in California; is reduced to a trickle for part of each year)

Yukon; Yukon River (a North American river that flows westward from the Yukon Territory through central Alaska to the Bering Sea)

Meronyms (members of "United States"):

American (a native or inhabitant of the United States)

Domain member region:

multiple voting (the act of voting in more than one place by the same person at the same election (illegal in U.S.))

snake dance (a ceremonial dance (as by the Hopi) in which snakes are handled or invoked)

reallocation; reallotment; reapportionment (a new apportionment (especially a new apportionment of congressional seats in the United States on the basis of census results))

trust busting ((law) government activities seeking to dissolve corporate trusts and monopolies (especially under the United States antitrust laws))

Boston Tea Party (demonstration (1773) by citizens of Boston who (disguised as Indians) raided three British ships in Boston harbor and dumped hundreds of chests of tea into the harbor; organized as a protest against taxes on tea)

recall (the act of removing an official by petition)

American Civil War; United States Civil War; War between the States (civil war in the United States between the North and the South; 1861-1865)

water spaniel (any dog of two large curly-coated breeds used for hunting waterfowl)

maquiladora (an assembly plant in Mexico (near the United States border); parts are shipped into Mexico and the finished product is shipped back across the border)

slave market (a marketplace where slaves were auctioned off (especially in the southern United States before the American Civil War))

totem (emblem consisting of an object such as an animal or plant; serves as the symbol of a family or clan (especially among American Indians))

beak; honker; hooter; nozzle; schnoz; schnozzle; snoot; snout (informal terms for the nose)

southernism (an attitude characteristic of Southerners (especially in the US))

shamanism (any animistic religion similar to Asian shamanism (especially as practiced by certain Native American tribes))

Social Security number (the number of a particular individual's Social Security account)

joint resolution (a resolution passed by both houses of Congress which becomes legally binding when signed by the Chief Executive (or passed over the Chief Executive's veto))

Bill of Rights (a statement of fundamental rights and privileges (especially the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution))

Athabascan; Athabaskan; Athapascan; Athapaskan; Athapaskan language (a group of Amerindian languages (the name coined by an American anthropologist, Edward Sapir))

inaugural; inaugural address (an address delivered at an inaugural ceremony (especially by a United States president))

tart (a small open pie with a fruit filling)

teacake (any of various small cakes or cookies often served with tea)

partridge (flesh of either quail or grouse)

cola; dope (carbonated drink flavored with extract from kola nuts ('dope' is a southernism in the United States))

combination in restraint of trade ((law) any monopoly or contract or combination or conspiracy intended to restrain commerce (which are illegal according to antitrust laws of the United States))

State Department (a department of government in one of the 50 states)

department of the federal government; federal department; federal office (a department of the federal government of the United States)

federation of tribes; tribe (a federation (as of American Indians))

nation (a federation of tribes (especially Native American tribes))

independent agency (an agency of the United States government that is created by an act of Congress and is independent of the executive departments)

IC; Intelligence Community; National Intelligence Community; United States Intelligence Community (a group of government agencies and organizations that carry out intelligence activities for the United States government; headed by the Director of Central Intelligence)

county ((United States) the largest administrative district within a state)

barrio (a Spanish-speaking quarter in a town or city (especially in the United States))

Marshall Islands; Republic of the Marshall Islands (a republic (under United States protection) on the Marshall Islands)

North; Union (the United States (especially the northern states during the American Civil War))

Marlowe; Philip Marlowe (tough cynical detective (one of the early detective heroes in American fiction) created by Raymond Chandler)

desperado; desperate criminal (a bold outlaw (especially on the American frontier))

mestiza (a woman of mixed racial ancestry (especially mixed European and Native American ancestry))

mestizo (a person of mixed racial ancestry (especially mixed European and Native American ancestry))

old man ((slang) boss)

staff member; staffer (an employee who is a member of a staff of workers (especially a member of the staff that works for the President of the United States))

Northerner; Yank; Yankee (an American who lives in the North (especially during the American Civil War))

Gibson; Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson; Mel Gibson (Australian actor (born in the United States in 1956))

genus Epiphyllum (small genus of tropical American (mainly Central America) cacti)

Matricaria matricarioides; pineapple weed; rayless chamomile (annual aromatic weed of Pacific coastal areas (United States and northeastern Asia) having bristle-pointed leaves and rayless yellow flowers)

Cassia alata; ringworm bush; ringworm cassia; ringworm shrub; Senna alata (tropical shrub (especially of Americas) having yellow flowers and large leaves whose juice is used as a cure for ringworm and poisonous bites; sometimes placed in genus Cassia)

genus Hedeoma; Hedeoma (small genus of American herbs (American pennyroyal))

Acrostichum aureum; golden fern; leather fern (stout tropical swamp fern (especially tropical America) having large fronds with golden yellow sporangia covering the undersides)

discount rate (the rate of interest set by the Federal Reserve that member banks are charged when they borrow money through the Federal Reserve System)

buck; clam; dollar; dollar bill; one dollar bill (a piece of paper money worth one dollar)

in; inch (a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot)

1000000000; billion; one thousand million (the number that is represented as a one followed by 9 zeros)

1000000000000; one million million; trillion (the number that is represented as a one followed by 12 zeros)

quadrillion (the number that is represented as a one followed by 15 zeros)

quintillion (the number that is represented as a one followed by 18 zeros)

sextillion (the number that is represented as a one followed by 21 zeros)

septillion (the number that is represented as a one followed by 24 zeros)

octillion (the number that is represented as a one followed by 27 zeros)

billionth (position 1,000,000,000 in a countable series of things)

trapezium (a quadrilateral with no parallel sides)

trapezoid (a quadrilateral with two parallel sides)

February 2; Groundhog Day (if the ground hog emerges and sees his shadow on this day, there will be 6 more weeks of winter)

February 12; Lincoln's Birthday (the day on which President Abraham Lincoln is remembered)

February 22; Washington's Birthday (the day on which George Washington is remembered)

Presidents' Day (the third Monday in February; commemorates both presidents Lincoln and Washington)

first-year; freshman (used of a person in the first year of an experience (especially in United States high school or college))

billion (denoting a quantity consisting of one thousand million items or units in the United States)

trillion (one million million in the United States)

marine (of or relating to military personnel who serve both on land and at sea (specifically the U.S. Marine Corps))

Instance hyponyms:

North; Union (the United States (especially the northern states during the American Civil War))

Holonyms ("United States" is a part of...):

North America (a continent (the third largest) in the western hemisphere connected to South America by the Isthmus of Panama)

Holonyms ("United States" is a member of...):

NATO; North Atlantic Treaty Organization (an international organization created in 1949 by the North Atlantic Treaty for purposes of collective security)

OAS; Organization of American States (an association including most countries in the western hemisphere; created in 1948 to promote military and economic and social and cultural cooperation)

Domain member region:

checking account (a bank account against which the depositor can draw checks that are payable on demand)

scallion (a young onion before the bulb has enlarged; eaten in salads)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The executive and legislative and judicial branches of the federal government of the United States

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

U.S.; U.S. government; United States; United States government; US Government

Hypernyms ("United States" is a kind of...):

federal government (a government with strong central powers)

Meronyms (members of "United States"):

executive branch; Executive Office of the President (the branch of the United States government that is responsible for carrying out the laws)

legislative branch (the branch of the United States government that has the power of legislating)

judicial branch (the branch of the United States government responsible for the administration of justice)

 Context examples 

It is the sixth most common type of cancer in the United States.

(Bladder Cancer, NIH: National Cancer Institute)

Breast cancer kills more women in the United States than any cancer except lung cancer.

(Breast Cancer, NIH: National Cancer Institute)

"How about the United States?" a man yelled from the audience.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

In the United States, about 20 million people have asthma.

(Asthma in Children, NIH)

They found that nearly half of all the deaths in the United States in 2012 that were caused by cardiometabolic diseases were associated with suboptimal eating habits.

(How dietary factors influence disease risk, NIH)

It is being studied in the United States and Canada in the prevention of lung cancer in people who used to smoke.

(ACAPHA, NCI Dictionary)

Some parasitic diseases occur in the United States.

(Parasitic Diseases, NIH)

One out of every 33 babies in the United States is born with a birth defect.

(Birth Defects, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Cantron is not available in the United States.

(Cantron, NCI Dictionary)

Cancell is not available in the United States.

(Cancell, NCI Dictionary)