WordGarden.iostate
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /stˈeɪt/
US
- /ˈsteɪt/
Meanings
Noun
the condition or circumstances someone or something is in
a country or one of the main political regions within a country
the government and its institutions as a source of public power
More meaningsFewer meanings
a particular condition of matter, energy, or a system in science
Verb
to say or write something clearly and formally
Adjective
owned, run, or provided by the government
Beyond the definition
The word "state" can move through several common parts of life. It can describe how something is at a certain time, like your emotional state or the state of a building after a storm. It can also mean a political area or country, such as a US state or a state ruled by one government. And as a verb, "to state" means to say something clearly and directly: "Please state your name for the record." It is a word about condition, public life, and clear expression.
Imagine a ruler speaking about the state of the land: he is telling people how things are. Or picture someone in court being asked to state their case: they are saying clearly what happened. It is a word that connects conditions, places, and direct speech.
The word "state" changes shape with the context, but its main idea is not hard to follow. Very often, it refers to a condition or way of being. You can talk about the state of your room, the state of your health, or the state of the economy. In all of these, the word points to how something is at that moment. This meaning appears in many common phrases, such as "a state of emergency" or "a state of confusion."
The word also has an important political meaning. It can mean a country or a region with its own government and laws. The United States has 50 states, and in other contexts the word can mean a whole country considered as a political unit. In news and history, "the state" can also mean the government itself or the official power behind it.
Then there is the verb form, "to state." It means to say or present something clearly, often in a formal or careful way. A witness may state what they saw, a writer may state an opinion, and a form may ask you to state your age or address. This sense is about putting information into words plainly.
All of these meanings are linked by the idea of a fixed condition, position, or public form. Whether you are describing someone's emotional state, naming a political state, talking about the power of the state, or stating a fact aloud, the word points to something defined and made clear. That is why it works so naturally in everyday speech, public language, and formal writing.
Examples
- 1
U.S. geography
California is the largest state on the west coast.
- 2
State laws
In the U.S., each state has its own laws.
- 3
Emergency status
The government declared a state of emergency after the storm.
- Phrasestate of emergency
an official period of serious danger
- 4
House condition
The house was in a terrible state when we moved in.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Unable to act
She was in no state to drive home after the accident.
- Patternin no state to + verb
too upset, ill, or tired to do it safely
- 6
Emotional state
He was still in a state of shock when the police arrived.
- 7
Government ownership
The company is partly state-owned.
- Phrasestate-owned
owned by the government
- 8
Formal opinion
I should state clearly that this is only my opinion.
- 9
Official request
Please state your full name and date of birth.
- 10
Report findings
The report states that sales increased last year.
- 11
Formal denial
She stated that she had never seen the email.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- statenounverb
Forms
- statespluralnounverb
- statedpast tenseverbnoun
- stating-ing formverbnoun