Is the 'State Department' the same as the 'Department of State'?

Yes, they are the same. 'State Department' is the common short form for the 'United States Department of State'.

Why is it called the 'State' Department and not the 'Foreign' Department?

The name dates from 1789 when the department handled both foreign and some domestic affairs. 'State' referred to the affairs of the state or nation as a whole, not individual U.S. states.

Who leads the State Department?

The Secretary of State, who is a member of the President's Cabinet and the chief foreign affairs adviser.

Can 'state department' (lowercase) refer to a department of a U.S. state?

While logically possible, it is highly uncommon and confusing. Departments of individual states are usually named specifically, e.g., 'California Department of Motor Vehicles'. In practice, 'State Department' overwhelmingly refers to the US federal department.

Is “state department” formal?

State department is usually formal/governmental, journalistic in register.

How do you pronounce “state department”?

State department: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsteɪt dɪˈpɑːtmənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsteɪt dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

state department: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

UK/ˌsteɪt dɪˈpɑːtmənt/US/ˌsteɪt dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/

Formal/Governmental, Journalistic

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Quick answer

What does “state department” mean?

The US federal government department responsible for foreign affairs and international relations.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

The US federal government department responsible for foreign affairs and international relations; the US equivalent of a foreign ministry.

Used less formally to refer to the diplomatic bureaucracy, policies, or officials of the US government, or (with capitals) the specific department and its headquarters building in Washington, D.C.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

The term 'State Department' is exclusively American. In the UK, the equivalent body is the 'Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office' (FCDO), historically known as the 'Foreign Office'. The generic term is 'foreign ministry'.

Connotations

In American usage, it carries connotations of US foreign policy, diplomacy, and bureaucracy. In British/international English, it is understood purely as a reference to that specific US institution.

Frequency

Very high frequency in US political/news contexts; low frequency in UK/international contexts except when discussing US affairs.

Grammar

How to Use “state department” in a Sentence

The State Department + [verb of communication] (stated, announced, confirmed)[Action/Report] + by the State DepartmentA + [adjective] + State Department official

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

US State Departmentthe State Department saidState Department officialState Department spokespersonState Department building

medium

according to the State DepartmentState Department reportState Department travel advisorycriticised by the State Department

weak

State Department fundingState Department policyformer State Departmentcontact the State Department

Examples

Examples of “state department” in a Sentence

verb

British English

The embassy was instructed to liaise directly with the State Department on the matter.

American English

The senator urged the administration to State-Department the response, favoring diplomacy over force.

adjective

British English

He had a long State-Department career before becoming an ambassador.

American English

Her State-Department background gave her unique insights into the diplomatic process.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Rare, except in international trade contexts discussing regulations or sanctions: 'The new sanctions were announced by the State Department.'

Academic

Used in political science, international relations, and modern history: 'The paper analysed the State Department's role in the post-Cold War era.'

Everyday

Understood in news context but rarely used in casual conversation unless discussing US politics.

Technical

Specific term in government, political journalism, and diplomacy.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “state department”

Strong

Foreign Office (UK equivalent)Ministry of Foreign Affairs (generic equivalent)

Neutral

U.S. Foreign MinistryU.S. diplomatic corpsFoggy Bottom (metonym)

Weak

the diplomatic armthe foreign affairs bureaucracy

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “state department”

Defense Department (Pentagon)Domestic agencyDepartment of the Interior

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “state department”

Using 'State Department' to refer to a department of a US state (e.g., 'the California State Department of Health').
Omitting the capitalisation when referring specifically to the US institution.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: Yes, they are the same. 'State Department' is the common short form for the 'United States Department of State'.
: The name dates from 1789 when the department handled both foreign and some domestic affairs. 'State' referred to the affairs of the state or nation as a whole, not individual U.S. states.
: The Secretary of State, who is a member of the President's Cabinet and the chief foreign affairs adviser.
: While logically possible, it is highly uncommon and confusing. Departments of individual states are usually named specifically, e.g., 'California Department of Motor Vehicles'. In practice, 'State Department' overwhelmingly refers to the US federal department.
: The US federal government department responsible for foreign affairs and international relations.
: State department is usually formal/governmental, journalistic in register.
: State department: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsteɪt dɪˈpɑːtmənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsteɪt dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“Foggy Bottom (metonym for the State Department and its bureaucracy, from its location in Washington, D.C.)”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of the 'Department of State' as the department that deals with the 'state' of the world, i.e., other nations and international relations.

Conceptual Metaphor

THE GOVERNMENT IS A BODY (the diplomatic arm); THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS A SPOKESPERSON (for the nation abroad).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

The issued a travel warning for the region due to political unrest.

Multiple Choice

What is the primary function of the US State Department?