territory
noun
ter·ri·to·ry
ˈter-ə-ˌtȯr-ē 
plural territories
1
a
: a geographic area belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a governmental authority
b
: an administrative subdivision of a country
c
: a part of the U.S. not included within any state but organized with a separate legislature
d
: a geographic area (such as a colonial possession) dependent on an external government but having some degree of autonomy
2
a
: an indeterminate geographic area
b
: a field of knowledge or interest
3
a
: an assigned area
especially
: one in which a sales representative or distributor operates
b
: an area often including a nesting or denning site and a variable foraging range that is occupied and defended by an animal or group of animals
Examples of territory in a Sentence
Those mountains are in Mexican territory.
Guam is a U.S. territory.
The birds are busy establishing territories and building nests.
Male cats spray to mark territory.
The goal of the expedition is to map unexplored territory.
Recent Examples on the Web
The four-day military clash between India and Pakistan was the most expansive fighting in half a century between the two nuclear-armed countries, with the skies lighting up night after night along the vast boundary dividing them and deep inside their territories.
—
Agnes Chang, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Here’s a truly global company adapting its marketing strategy to suit different audiences in different territories with different tastes.
—Tim Wragg, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Gaugler added that there have been several data center announcements for facilities to be located within Essential Utilities’ natural gas service territory in western Pennsylvania.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 13 May 2025
After clashing Jewish and Palestinian national movements escalated into the first Arab-Israeli war upon the collapse of the United Kingdom's colonial holding, Egypt established effective control over the 141-square-mile Mediterranean territory that would become known as the Gaza Strip.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for territory
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Agnes Chang, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Here’s a truly global company adapting its marketing strategy to suit different audiences in different territories with different tastes.
—Tim Wragg, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Gaugler added that there have been several data center announcements for facilities to be located within Essential Utilities’ natural gas service territory in western Pennsylvania.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 13 May 2025
After clashing Jewish and Palestinian national movements escalated into the first Arab-Israeli war upon the collapse of the United Kingdom's colonial holding, Egypt established effective control over the 141-square-mile Mediterranean territory that would become known as the Gaza Strip.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for territory
Cite this Entry
“Territory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/territory. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
territory
noun
ter·ri·to·ry
ˈter-ə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
plural territories
1
a
: a geographic area belonging to or under the control of a government
b
: a part of the U.S. not included within any state but having a separate governing body
2
a
: an assigned area
a sales representative's territory
b
: an area that is occupied and defended by an animal or group of animals
Legal Definition
territory
noun
ter·ri·to·ry
ˈter-ə-ˌtōr-ē
plural territories
1
: a geographical area belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a governmental authority
2
: a political subdivision of a country
3
: a part of the U.S. (as Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands) not included within any state but organized with a separate legislature compare trust territory
territorially
adverb
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