International Relations Terminology

noun a formal agreement or treaty between two or more nations to cooperate for specific purposes

• The two countries formed a strategic alliance to strengthen their military capabilities.
• We should team up with them, it's like a powerful alliance.
• Those two are like BFFs, they've got a solid alliance going on.
• The alliance between creativity and innovation is what drives progress in the industry.

noun a policy of making concessions to an aggressor in order to avoid conflict

• The policy of appeasement was criticized for its failure to prevent the outbreak of World War II.
• Trying to avoid conflict through appeasement often just delays the inevitable.
• Appeasement is like trying to sweep problems under the rug.
• Sometimes appeasement is like feeding a monster, thinking it will be satisfied, but it only grows stronger.

noun a situation in which nations of similar strength have equal power and can prevent any one country from dominating the others

• The balance of power in the region shifted after the treaty was signed.
• The balance of power between the two teams is pretty even.
• The balance of power in the office changed when the new boss came in.
• In any negotiation, it's important to understand the balance of power between the two parties.

noun a foreign policy strategy in which one nation pushes a dangerous situation to the brink of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome

• The two countries engaged in brinkmanship as they both tried to gain the upper hand in negotiations.
• The siblings were constantly playing a game of brinkmanship, always trying to one-up each other.
• The students' brinkmanship in class was getting out of hand, with each one trying to outsmart the other.
• The CEO's brinkmanship in the business world paid off as he successfully navigated through risky decisions.

noun a relaxing of tension, especially between nations, as by negotiations or agreements

• The two countries reached a detente after years of tense relations.
• There seems to be a detente between the neighbors now.
• Let's hope this detente lasts for a while.
• Their detente was like a fragile truce, ready to break at any moment.

noun skill in managing negotiations, handling people tactfully, etc.

• Diplomacy is essential in maintaining peaceful relations between nations.
• Using diplomacy is the best way to resolve conflicts without violence.
• Sometimes you just gotta have some mad diplomacy skills to deal with difficult people.
• In the game of politics, diplomacy is like a chess move that can change the course of history.

noun a language that is meaningless or is made unintelligible by excessive use of technical terms

verb to speak in a way that is intentionally ambiguous or evasive

• The politician was accused of engaging in double talk during the debate.
• I can't stand listening to all that double talk from the salesperson.
• Stop with the double talk and just tell me the truth.
• Her actions spoke louder than her double talk.

adjective an adjective describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case 'foreign' describes something that is from another country or outside of one's own country

• The company decided to invest in foreign markets to expand their global presence.
• I love trying out foreign cuisines whenever I travel to different countries.
• I don't understand half the stuff in this foreign movie, but it looks cool.
• The concept of forgiveness was like a foreign language to him, he just couldn't grasp it.

noun a deep inlet of the sea almost surrounded by land, with a narrow mouth.

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pronoun None

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interjection None

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• The Gulf of Mexico is known for its rich biodiversity.
• Let's take a road trip to the Gulf this weekend!
• I love chilling by the gulf, it's so peaceful.
• There is a gulf between their opinions that seems impossible to bridge.

verb to force someone to accept or put up with; to bring about by authority or force

• The government imposed strict regulations on the use of pesticides.
• My parents imposed a curfew on me for the weekend.
• I can't believe my boss imposed overtime on us again.
• The weight of responsibility imposed on her shoulders was immense.

noun the act of interfering or intruding in the affairs of others without being asked or needed

verb to interfere or intrude in the affairs of others without being asked or needed

adjective involving oneself in matters that are not one's concern

• The government accused the foreign country of meddling in their internal affairs.
• Stop meddling in my business, it's none of your concern.
• She's always meddling in other people's relationships, it's so annoying.
• The old woman was accused of meddling with dark forces beyond her control.

noun a French word meaning 'world' or 'society'

• Le monde est un endroit vaste et diversifié, regorgeant de cultures uniques.
• On dit souvent que le monde est petit, mais il y a tellement de choses à découvrir.
• Le monde, c'est vraiment le bordel parfois, tu ne trouves pas ?
• Dans le monde de la finance, il faut savoir naviguer entre les requins pour réussir.

adjective describing a country or organization that does not formally align itself with any major power bloc

• The country remained nonaligned during the Cold War, maintaining neutrality in global conflicts.
• She prefers to stay nonaligned in office politics, avoiding taking sides.
• I'm just gonna stay nonaligned with all the drama going on.
• His nonaligned approach to life allows him to see things from multiple perspectives.

noun a noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'noninterference' is a noun that refers to the act of not interfering or getting involved in something.

• The principle of noninterference in international affairs is crucial for maintaining peace and stability.
• I prefer to keep a policy of noninterference when it comes to my friends' personal matters.
• Dude, just mind your own business and practice some noninterference.
• Sometimes it's best to practice noninterference and let things unfold naturally.

noun a lack of recognition or acknowledgment

• The nonrecognition of their achievements was a constant source of frustration for the team.
• They were upset about the nonrecognition of all the hard work they put in.
• It sucks that their efforts go unnoticed, total nonrecognition.
• The shadow of nonrecognition loomed over their success, casting a dark cloud over their accomplishments.

noun a formal agreement between individuals or parties

• The two countries signed a pact to promote economic cooperation.
• We made a pact to always have each other's backs.
• Let's make a pact to never talk about that embarrassing moment again.
• The pact between the siblings meant they would always support each other no matter what.

noun a Latin word meaning peace, used in the phrase 'pax vobiscum' meaning 'peace be with you'

• The treaty was signed, bringing about a state of pax between the two nations.
• Let's all just chill out and enjoy some pax for once.
• I'm all about that pax life, just trying to keep the peace.
• Sometimes finding inner pax can be more challenging than achieving outer peace.

noun the quality or state of being deceitful or untrustworthy

• The perfidy of the defendant was evident in the court's ruling.
• I can't believe the perfidy of my so-called friend.
• That dude's perfidy knows no bounds.
• The perfidy of the storm left a path of destruction in its wake.

noun the office or period of office of a protector

• The country became a protectorate of the larger empire, ensuring its security and sovereignty.
• The smaller nation was basically under the protection of the bigger one, like a protectorate or something.
• They had a sort of buddy-buddy relationship, with one being the protectorate and the other the protector.
• Her older brother always acted like a protectorate, looking out for her in any situation.

noun the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions

• The protocol for conducting clinical trials must be strictly followed.
• Make sure you follow the protocol when setting up the new printer.
• We totally bypassed the usual protocol and just went for it.
• In this company, there's an unspoken protocol for how things are done.

noun a system or planned way of doing things, especially one imposed from above

• The new government implemented a strict regime to control the country's economy.
• I heard the boss is putting in place a new regime for employee performance reviews.
• The coach's training regime is no joke - we're all feeling the burn!
• Breaking free from the regime of self-doubt was the first step towards personal growth.

noun the practice of making threats of military action

• The diplomat warned that the recent military exercises were merely saber rattling and not a true threat.
• Don't pay attention to their saber rattling, they're just trying to intimidate us.
• Their saber rattling is just a bunch of hot air, they won't actually do anything.
• The CEO's threats of layoffs were just saber rattling to get employees to work harder.

verb to give official permission or approval for something

adjective officially approved or authorized

• The government sanctioned the new policy to regulate environmental protection.
• The principal sanctioned the use of the gym for the student dance.
• The crew was sanctioned to throw a party at the abandoned warehouse.
• The artist's bold choice of colors was sanctioned by art critics as groundbreaking.

noun knowledge of what to do in any situation; tact

• Her savoir-faire in business negotiations is unparalleled.
• He has a natural savoir-faire when it comes to socializing.
• She's got some serious savoir-faire when it comes to fashion.
• His savoir-faire on the dance floor is like poetry in motion.

noun a trilateral agreement or organization

adjective relating to three parties or countries

• The trilateral agreement between the three countries was signed yesterday.
• The trilateral meeting is scheduled for next week.
• The trilateral project is in full swing.
• The trilateral partnership is the key to success in this venture.

adjective describing something that cannot be controlled or governed

• The committee struggled to manage the ungovernable behavior of some of its members.
• The kids were so wild and ungovernable at the birthday party.
• That new student is totally ungovernable, always causing trouble.
• Her emotions were like an ungovernable storm, unpredictable and intense.

verb a word that expresses an action or a state of being

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• The candidate's extensive experience in project management will bring valuable skills to the table.
• I hope your friend can bring some good music to the table for the party.
• Let's see what kind of ideas these new recruits can bring to the table.
• His unique perspective really brings a fresh angle to the table during our discussions.

noun a state that is under the control of a more powerful state

• The small kingdom became a vassal state under the rule of the larger empire.
• The little kingdom had to do whatever the big empire said, like a vassal state.
• The tiny kingdom was basically the big empire's puppet, just a vassal state.
• In the world of business, sometimes a smaller company can feel like a vassal state to a larger corporation.

noun A person who accepts or follows rules set by others

• The country decided to become a rule taker in order to gain access to the single market.
• He doesn't want to be a rule taker, but he knows it's necessary for now.
• Being a rule taker sucks, but it's better than being completely isolated.
• She felt like a rule taker in her own life, always following someone else's guidelines.

noun a fear, aversion, or discrimination against China, its people, or its culture

• Sinophobia is a term used to describe the fear or hatred of China, Chinese people, or their culture.
• Some people have a strong dislike for anything related to China, known as Sinophobia.
• There's a lot of Sinophobia going around these days, especially on social media.
• Sinophobia can be compared to a deep-rooted prejudice that is hard to shake off.

noun an intense dislike or fear of Russia or Russian people

• The rise of Russophobia in Western politics is a concerning trend.
• Some people have a strong dislike for Russia, it's like a Russophobia.
• I don't get why there's so much Russophobia going around these days.
• Her Russophobia was so intense, she couldn't even stand the sight of anything related to Russia.

noun a rhetorical technique that involves deflecting criticism by pointing out the flaws or wrongdoings of others

adjective describing the act or practice of engaging in whataboutery

• The debate was derailed by the constant whataboutery from both sides.
• Stop with the whataboutery and focus on the main issue at hand.
• I'm tired of your whataboutery, just admit you were wrong.
• His whataboutery was like a shield, deflecting any criticism thrown his way.

noun a body of water smaller than a lake, especially one forming part of a river

adverb a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

article a particular item or object, typically one of a specified type

• The business partners from across the pond have arrived for the meeting.
• My cousin from across the pond is visiting next week.
• I met a cool dude from across the pond at the party.
• The idea of starting a new life across the pond is quite appealing.

noun a state of not taking sides in a conflict or disagreement, but actively working to promote peace or resolution

adjective describing a state of being actively neutral or impartial

• The country's foreign policy is based on active neutrality, allowing it to maintain good relations with all neighboring nations.
• The government's stance of active neutrality means they try to stay out of conflicts between other countries.
• Some people think active neutrality is just a fancy way of saying 'minding your own business.'
• In a world full of chaos, practicing active neutrality can be like finding a peaceful oasis in the middle of a storm.

noun a small amount or portion of something much larger or more significant

• The donation we received was just a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed to fund the project.
• I know my efforts are just a drop in the ocean, but I still want to help in any way I can.
• Throwing a few bucks at the problem is like tossing a drop in the ocean - it won't make much of a difference.
• Her apology felt like a drop in the ocean after all the hurtful things she had said.