CITIZEN Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'citizen' distinct from other similar nouns?

The words national and subject are common synonyms of citizen . While all three words mean "a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state," citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people. // the rights of a free citizen

Q: Where would 'national' be a reasonable alternative to 'citizen'?

Although the words national and citizen have much in common, national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state. // American nationals working in the Middle East

Q: When could 'subject' be used to replace 'citizen'?

The meanings of subject and citizen largely overlap; however, subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch. // the king's subjects

citizen

noun

ˈsi-tə-zən

Definition of citizen next

as in national

a person who owes allegiance to a government and is protected by it conscientious citizens who regard voting as a duty as well as a right

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as in villager

a person who lives in a town on a permanent basis claimed that the good citizens of the town were sick of high property taxes

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How is the word citizen distinct from other similar nouns?

The words national and subject are common synonyms of citizen. While all three words mean "a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state," citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people.

the rights of a free citizen

Where would national be a reasonable alternative to citizen?

Although the words national and citizen have much in common, national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state.

American nationals working in the Middle East

When could subject be used to replace citizen?

The meanings of subject and citizen largely overlap; however, subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch.

the king's subjects

Examples of citizen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Prosecutors claim that, dating back to his days as Brooklyn borough president, Adams has accepted airline upgrades, hotel rooms, and other freebies from Turkish officials and Turkish citizens, in addition to campaign cash. —

Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2024 The Free Press also reported King granted moderator privileges to a private citizen in the chat, a woman living in Georgia who was not employed by the court. —

Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 26 Sep. 2024 The Vota Palooza Music Festival has set the dates for its tour across the U.S. to increase the civic participation of Gen Z Latinos and new citizens. —

Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2024 This code explains how citizens can defend themselves when there is an unlawful intrusion into their home by another individual or a public servant. —

Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for citizen

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'citizen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.