commonwealth
noun
com·mon·wealth
ˈkä-mən-ˌwelth 
also -ˌweltth
1
2
: a state of the U.S.
—used officially of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
3
often capitalized
: a political unit having local autonomy but voluntarily united with the U.S.
—used officially of Puerto Rico and of the Northern Mariana Islands
4
often capitalized
: an association of self-governing autonomous states more or less loosely associated in a common allegiance (as to the British crown)
5
capitalized
a
: the English state from the death of Charles I in 1649 to the Restoration in 1660
6
capitalized
: a federal union of constituent states
—used officially of Australia
7
archaic
: commonweal sense 2
Examples of commonwealth in a Sentence
laws that will benefit all the citizens of the commonwealth
Recent Examples on the Web
The commonwealth is only one of three states in the country that require individuals to provide their full nine-digit Social Security number to register for voting.
—
Sarah Roderick-Fitch | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 8 Aug. 2024
Addiction Recovery Care has multiple facilities across the commonwealth, including an outpatient facility in Louisville.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 6 Aug. 2024
President Biden made multiple stops in the commonwealth before dropping out of the race, and set up his campaign headquarters in nearby Wilmington, Delaware.
—Laura Fay, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2024
Assange boarded a private plane headed for a US court in Saipan, the capital of the remote US commonwealth Northern Mariana Islands, where he is expected to agree to a plea deal.
—Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for commonwealth 
Sarah Roderick-Fitch | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 8 Aug. 2024
Addiction Recovery Care has multiple facilities across the commonwealth, including an outpatient facility in Louisville.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 6 Aug. 2024
President Biden made multiple stops in the commonwealth before dropping out of the race, and set up his campaign headquarters in nearby Wilmington, Delaware.
—Laura Fay, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2024
Assange boarded a private plane headed for a US court in Saipan, the capital of the remote US commonwealth Northern Mariana Islands, where he is expected to agree to a plea deal.
—Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for commonwealth
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commonwealth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near commonwealth
Cite this Entry
“Commonwealth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commonwealth. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commonwealth
noun
com·mon·wealth
-ˌwelth
1
: a political unit (as a nation or state)
2
: a state of the U.S.
—used officially of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
Legal Definition
commonwealth
noun
com·mon·wealth
ˈkä-mən-ˌwelth
1
: a nation, state, or other political unit: as
a
: one founded on law and united by compact or tacit agreement by the people for the common good
b
: one in which supreme authority is vested in the people
c
: republic
2
: a state of the U.S.
—used officially of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
3
often capitalized
: an association of self-governing autonomous states more or less loosely associated in a common allegiance (as to the British crown)
4
often capitalized
: a political unit having local autonomy but voluntarily united with the U.S.
—used officially of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands
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