citizenship
noun
cit·i·zen·ship ˈsi-tə-zən-ˌship 
also -sən-
1
: the status of being a citizen
He was granted U.S. citizenship.
2
a
: membership in a community (such as a college)
b
: the quality of an individual's response to membership in a community
The students are learning the value of good citizenship.
Examples of citizenship in a Sentence
She applied for Polish citizenship. He was granted U.S. citizenship. The students are learning the value of good citizenship.
Recent Examples on the Web
Punjabi immigrants faced challenges when integrating into California farm communities in the early 1900s, accentuated by laws that restricted immigration from Asia, closed paths to citizenship and barred noncitizens from landownership. —
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 13 Apr. 2026 The year began with high rates in citizenship applications submitted. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 13 Apr. 2026 Nina Froes, who was also appointed as a judge in 2024, dismissed deportation proceedings against Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student who was arrested by immigration authorities immediately following his citizenship interview last April. —Laura Romero, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026 Presler teamed up with the Republican Study Committee earlier this year as part of the larger goal of getting the bill, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and an ID to cast a ballot, to Trump’s desk. —Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for citizenship
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 13 Apr. 2026 The year began with high rates in citizenship applications submitted. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 13 Apr. 2026 Nina Froes, who was also appointed as a judge in 2024, dismissed deportation proceedings against Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student who was arrested by immigration authorities immediately following his citizenship interview last April. —Laura Romero, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026 Presler teamed up with the Republican Study Committee earlier this year as part of the larger goal of getting the bill, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and an ID to cast a ballot, to Trump’s desk. —Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for citizenship
Cite this Entry
“Citizenship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/citizenship. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
citizenship
noun
cit·i·zen·ship ˈsit-ə-zən-ship
1
: possession of the rights and privileges of a citizen
2
: the quality of a person's response to membership in a community
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