England
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What is England? England is one of the divisions that make up the country of the United Kingdom. England is the largest and most populous of the four divisions. While England is sometimes referred to as a country, it is actually part of the sovereign nation known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly shortened to the United Kingdom or UK), along with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. England is by far the most populous of the four divisions, having over 56 million people in 2019. The next largest division, Scotland, had approximately 5. 4 million people living there in 2019. England is also the largest in geographic size, being nearly 20,000 square miles larger than next-biggest, Scotland. England makes up most of the southern half of the island of Great Britain, with Wales located to its west and Scotland to its north. The word England is often mistakenly used to refer to the whole of the UK. As well, the division between the national government of the UK and the regional government of England is much less clear than the same divisions for Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While the other three enjoy some degree of self-governance, England rarely does.
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The king or queen of England is the king or queen of the United Kingdom.
The name England is often used to refer to all of Great Britain.
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How does england compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Real Madrid midfielder has faced criticism recently for some of his England performances but has previously claimed he was made a "scapegoat" in the camp.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
BBC Sport pundits choose England World Cup XIs - who would you pick?
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
Jordan Henderson has played for England at seven major tournaments.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
For water bills, every supplier in England and Wales has a social tariff - but who is eligible and the level of support varies between them.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
Maggie was in England visiting friends when she read of Kate’s arrest.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.