annexation
noun
an·nex·a·tion
ˌa-ˌnek-ˈsā-shən
plural annexations
1
: the act of annexing something or the state of being annexed : the addition of an area or region to a country, state, etc.
The Senate rejected the Hawaiian reciprocity treaty, the purchase of the Virgin Islands from Denmark, the annexation of Santo Domingo and the annexation of Samoa.—Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
In the early part of the 20th century, Chinese writers generally dated the annexation of Tibet to the 18th century.—Elliot Sperling
2
: something that is annexed
… defended their annexations with fire and sword.—George Bernard Shaw
Cite this Entry
“Annexation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annexation. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
