: the art of conducting state affairs

Examples of statecraft in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The reason this keeps happening—the reason populist movements don’t elevate public-spirited masters of statecraft—is that populism is all about rejecting elite expertise. Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026 Dollar dominance has provided Washington with tools of statecraft that previous great powers could scarcely imagine. Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 28 June 2026 The collision of sport and statecraft is nothing new, from the 1936 Berlin Olympics to the Soviet boycott of Los Angeles in 1984. Shirvin Zeinalzadeh, The Conversation, 11 June 2026 Trade policy should resemble intelligent statecraft, not a medieval blood feud in which every nation — friend or adversary — is treated as an enemy. Richard W. Rahn, Fortune, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for statecraft

Word History

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of statecraft was in 1642

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Cite this Entry

“Statecraft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/statecraft. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

: the art of conducting government affairs

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