Word
annexation
Phoneticsan·nex·a·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌænɛkˈseɪʃən/
UK/ˌænɪksˈeɪʃən/
Españolanexión
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the act of taking over a piece of land and officially making it part of your own country or city.
n. the formal act of incorporating a territory into the domain of a city, country, or state. Often implies a unilateral action rather than a mutual agreement.
Examples
“The annexation of the island changed the map.”
“The government announced the annexation of the neighboring region after a short military campaign.”
“Historians debate whether the annexation was a legitimate exercise of national sovereignty or an aggressive expansion of imperial borders.”
Examples
simple
“The annexation of the island changed the map.”
contextual
“The government announced the annexation of the neighboring region after a short military campaign.”
complex
“Historians debate whether the annexation was a legitimate exercise of national sovereignty or an aggressive expansion of imperial borders.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'of' followed by the territory being taken.
Teaching tip
In modern political contexts, this word often carries a negative or controversial tone, suggesting the land was taken without the consent of the people living there.
Real-World Examples
“It also accused Israel of using the settlers as an “unchecked tool to implement its criminal policies” of forced displacement and annexation of the occupied West Bank.” “Barghouti said the goal of the campaign was “annexation and displacement”, and called for Arab and international pressure on Washington to halt Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank as well as Gaza.” Etymology
From Medieval Latin annexation-, stem of annexatio (“action of annexing”), from past participle of annecto.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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- Formal, Academic
QR code
englishreference.com/q/annexation
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0