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
Many on the list, which was shared with NPR, were for environmental justice projects, including one grant that supported initiatives such as flood mitigation in southwest Virginia, a deep red part of the commonwealth where communities have been shaped by the coal industry's booms and busts.
—
Michael Copley, NPR, 23 Apr. 2025
Read told reporters outside the courthouse on Wednesday that the defense has used 11 of their 16 challenges, and the commonwealth has used 12 during jury selection, according to WCVB.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2025
The Republican Party in Virginia confirmed on Saturday that the commonwealth’s lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, will be the party’s primary nominee in the 2025 gubernatorial race.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 6 Apr. 2025
On the Democratic side, Spanberger is running on the backlash against Trump’s efforts to slash the federal workforce, a major factor in the commonwealth’s economy.
—Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commonwealth
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Michael Copley, NPR, 23 Apr. 2025
Read told reporters outside the courthouse on Wednesday that the defense has used 11 of their 16 challenges, and the commonwealth has used 12 during jury selection, according to WCVB.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2025
The Republican Party in Virginia confirmed on Saturday that the commonwealth’s lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, will be the party’s primary nominee in the 2025 gubernatorial race.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 6 Apr. 2025
On the Democratic side, Spanberger is running on the backlash against Trump’s efforts to slash the federal workforce, a major factor in the commonwealth’s economy.
—Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commonwealth
Cite this Entry
“Commonwealth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commonwealth. Accessed 8 May. 2025.
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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