Department of State

noun phrase

: the part of the U.S. government that is responsible for how the U.S. deals with other countries

Examples of Department of State in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin and the U.S. Department of State to comment on this story. —Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025

The Texas Department of State Health Services said Friday that 90 cases have been identified in the state since January, and the New Mexico Department of Health reported nine cases on Friday. —Chantelle Lee, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025

Dawson County stands around 88% vaccinated for incoming kindergarteners, Ector County at 91% and Lynn, Lubbock and Yoakum around 92%, according to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services. —Neha Mukherjee, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025

An outbreak has been spreading through the South Plains region of Texas since late January, the Texas Department of State Health Services said on Friday. —Isabella Kwai, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025

Rhymes for Department of State

• borosilicate
• decontaminate
• deoxycholate
• deteriorate
• differentiate
• diisocyanate
• dinoflagellate
• excommunicate
• incapacitate
• insubordinate
• intercorporate
• interpenetrate

Legal Definition

Department of State

Agency

federal executive division responsible for carrying out U.S. foreign policy. It is the president's principal means of conducting treaty negotiations and effecting agreements with foreign nations. Under its control are the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, seven bureaus of political affairs, the U.S. Foreign Service (including 270 embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions, and numerous subagencies), and various offices of diplomatic security, foreign intelligence, policy analysis, international narcotics control, protocol, and passport and medical services. The department's legal adviser advises the secretary of state on all matters of international law arising in the conduct of foreign relations.