sovereign
gb/sˈɑvɹən/ us/sˈɑvɹən/
B2
English
~ 2600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
A nation's supreme ruler
A king, queen, or leader who has the highest power in a country.
Usage pattern:
[a/the] sovereign of [a country]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sovereign' with 'government'; 'sovereign' refers to the ruler, not the whole administration in this sense.
Synonyms
monarch (Neutral term for a king or queen; often interchangeable.)
Antonyms
subject (Refers to someone under the authority of a sovereign.)
Collocations
absolute sovereign
|reigning sovereign
|sovereign ruler
|sovereign state
Themes
politics
|government
|history
Examples
- The sovereign signed the new law into effect.
- Queen Elizabeth II was the sovereign of the United Kingdom.
- The country's sovereign attended the international summit.
- The sovereign's decisions were final and could not be appealed.
Learner examples
- The king is the sovereign of the country.
- A sovereign makes the most important decisions.
- The sovereign visited many towns this year.
Noun
B2
entity
2
An independent nation-state
A country that makes its own laws and is not ruled by another country.
Usage pattern:
[a/the] sovereign [nation/state]
Common mistake:
Learners might confuse 'sovereign' meaning 'independent country' with 'sovereignty', which is the concept of independence.
Synonyms
independent state (Emphasizes political and legal independence.)
Antonyms
colony (A territory controlled by another country.)
Collocations
sovereign nation
|sovereign state
|fully sovereign
Themes
politics
|international relations
|law
Examples
- Canada is a sovereign nation.
- The treaty recognized the island as a sovereign state.
- They fought to remain a sovereign people.
Learner examples
- This is a sovereign country.
- A sovereign state can make its own laws.
- The island became sovereign last year.
adjective
formal
B2
property
3
Having full authority
Having the complete right to make decisions without being controlled by others.
Usage pattern:
[a/the] sovereign [state/decision/power]
Synonyms
autonomous (Emphasizes self-rule and independence, often in political contexts.)
Antonyms
dependent (Lacking the ability to act independently; relying on others for authority.)
Collocations
sovereign power
|sovereign rights
|sovereign authority
Themes
politics
|law
Examples
- The court affirmed the tribe's sovereign rights.
- They acted as a sovereign body in making the decision.
- A sovereign government must protect its citizens.
Learner examples
- The tribe is sovereign over its land.
- This group makes sovereign choices.
- A sovereign state can choose its own leaders.
adjective
formal
C1
property
4
Highest in rank or status
Being the most important or powerful in a group or system.
Usage pattern:
[a] sovereign [right/position/principle]
Synonyms
supreme (Very similar in meaning; emphasizes unmatched authority or importance.)
Antonyms
subordinate (Lower in rank or authority.)
Collocations
sovereign right
|sovereign principle
Themes
politics
|law
Examples
- Freedom of speech is considered a sovereign right in this nation.
- The constitution is the sovereign law of the land.
- He held a sovereign position within the organization.
Learner examples
- This is a sovereign rule in our country.
- The president has a sovereign role here.
- Our law is sovereign over other rules.
Noun
archaic
C2
entity
5
Old British gold coin
An old British gold coin worth one pound.
Synonyms
gold pound coin (Descriptive phrase for clarity.)
Themes
money
|history
|finance
Examples
- He paid for the horse with three sovereigns.
- The coin collection included a rare 1890 sovereign.
- Sailors often carried gold sovereigns as emergency funds.
Learner examples
- He gave me an old gold sovereign.
- The shop sells old sovereigns.
- I saw a gold sovereign in the museum.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sovereign
IPA
GB/sˈɑvɹən/
US/sˈɑvɹən/
Syllables & stress
sov - er - eign (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (sov)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: sovereign
Noun
- Base: sovereign
- Plural: sovereigns
Word family
Forms
sovereigns
noun
Core family
sovereignty
noun C1
Negative and opposite forms
non-sovereign
adjective
Advanced or less common
sovereignly
adverb
Expressions
sovereign debt
1/sˈɑvɹən dˈɛt/
fixed phrase
technical
Government borrowing of money
Money that a country's government owes to lenders inside or outside the country.
Examples
- The country's sovereign debt has reached record levels.
- Investors are worried about the possibility of a sovereign debt default.
sovereign state
1/sˈɑvɹən stˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
Independent self-governing country
A country that rules itself and is not controlled by another country.
Examples
- France is a sovereign state in Europe.
- The United Nations has 193 member sovereign states.
sovereign wealth fund
1/sˈɑvɹən wˈɛlθ fˈʌnd/
fixed phrase
technical
State-owned investment fund
Money saved and invested by a country's government, usually from natural resources or trade surplus.
Examples
- Norway's sovereign wealth fund is one of the largest in the world.
- The oil revenues are placed into the nation's sovereign wealth fund.