client state

English

Etymology

Originally referred to the realm of a client king of Rome.

Noun

client state (plural client states)

1. A state that is economically, politically or militarily dependent on another, more powerful state.

   Synonym: client

   • 2025 October 22, Lorenzo Tondo, William Christou, “‘Hogwash’ that Israel is a US client state, says Netanyahu”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN:

     On the second day of a US diplomatic push aimed at shoring up the fragile Gaza ceasefire, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, dismissed as “hogwash” suggestions that his country was a client state of Washington.

Hyponyms

• associated state
• neo-colony
• protectorate
• puppet state
• vassal state
• satellite state
• tributary state
• banana republic

Translations

state that is subordinate

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 從屬國 / 从属国 (cóngshǔguó), 僕從國 / 仆从国 (púcóng guó, púzòng guó)

• Dutch: cliëntstaat
• Finnish: alusvaltio, alamaisvaltio
• French: État client m
• Georgian: დამოკიდებული სახელმწიფო (damoḳidebuli saxelmc̣ipo)
• German: Klientelstaat m
• Polish: państwo uzależnione n
• Spanish: estado cliente m
• Swedish: klientstat (sv) c