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states

/steɪts/

When used as a verb, "states" is more formal than the word "says." It is often found in legal documents, contracts, or official reports. As a noun referring to political regions (like US states), it is almost always capitalized when part of a specific name (e.g., "the United States"), but lowercase when used generally.

💬Casual Conversation

🎬Tuesday afternoon in a corporate office; Mark is hiding in the breakroom during a meeting.
David Smith

The memo clearly states you need to be in this sync. Where are you?

David Smith
Mark
Mark

My bad, totally blanked on it. I'll swing by in a sec.

💡
David uses 'states' in the sense of formal written expression to assert authority. Mark responds with 'my bad' (slang for apology) and 'blanked on it' (idiom meaning he forgot), maintaining his slacker persona while dodging accountability.

Meanings

noun (plural)

The organized political communities under one central government, such as the fifty states of the US.

"The United States consists of fifty individual states."

noun (plural)

The particular conditions that someone or something is in at a specific time.

"The water exists in three different states: solid, liquid, and gas."

verb (transitive)

To express something definitely or clearly in speech or writing.

"The contract clearly states that the rent is due on the first of the month."

Examples

The law clearly states you can't park here, sir!

Wait, the contract states I get a bonus this month?

I've lived in three different states and hated them all.

My mind is in several different states right now, honestly.

She just states the obvious like it's some huge secret.

The manual states that this light means a total failure.

Which of the fifty states are you actually from?

Water exists in three different states, as we all know.

The email states the meeting is at noon, not ten.

He's in one of those strange mental states again.

Last Updated: May 21, 2026Report an Error