so·vi·et
ˈsō-vē-ˌet 
ˈsä-,
-vē-ət
1
: an elected governmental council in a Communist country
2
Soviets plural
a
b
: the people and especially the political and military leaders of the Soviet Union
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the Soviet Union or its people
Soviet history/policy
a Soviet spy
Soviet dissidents
Examples of soviet in a Sentence
Noun
disputes between Americans and Soviets
The plan was opposed by the Soviets.
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Fried, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2018
Only in the latter half of its 44-year run fighting Soviets and protecting popes has the G-class served as a glorified Rodeo Drive shopping cart.
—Clifford Atiyeh, Car and Driver, 16 Aug. 2023
Obviously if the Democratic presidential candidate were to suddenly start calling for dissolving Congress in favor of decentralized rule by workers’ soviets, that would probably hurt them.
—Dylan Matthews, Vox, 18 July 2018
This cultural tendency produced little soviets in the factories and barracks, which came together in a big Soviet in Petrograd; and suddenly The People, stomped-down for centuries, emerged as a living entity.
—Olga Ingurazova, Smithsonian, 29 Sep. 2017
TIME, 11 Apr. 2024
Advertisement Most defections went in the opposite direction, and Soviet officials treated their arrival as a propaganda bonanza.
—Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
At this point in the conflict, ordinary Americans viscerally feared the threat of a Soviet attack.
—Emily Matchar, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024
After Germany’s defeat in World War II, Soviet occupiers confiscated Audi’s manufacturing equipment.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
McGregor plays Count Alexander Rostov, a Russian noble who escapes execution after the Soviet revolution but is placed under house arrest for life—living out his days in the attic of a fancy Russian hotel.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Over the years, Tokyo has shifted its military focus away from northern Japan, where the Cold War threat was a Soviet land invasion, to its southwest islands.
—Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
The American spent 14 days in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison before negotiations between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev — then the USSR's new reform-minded leader — cut a deal to set him free.
—Charles Maynes, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
Instead, the Soviet regime sentences him to a lifetime of house arrest in his last known residence — which just happens to be the Metropol luxury hotel.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
In September, the United States responded by expelling 25 Soviets from their UN mission in New York, and the next month, another 55 from the Soviet embassy in Washington and the consulate in San Francisco.
—Daniel Fried, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2018
Only in the latter half of its 44-year run fighting Soviets and protecting popes has the G-class served as a glorified Rodeo Drive shopping cart.
—Clifford Atiyeh, Car and Driver, 16 Aug. 2023
Obviously if the Democratic presidential candidate were to suddenly start calling for dissolving Congress in favor of decentralized rule by workers’ soviets, that would probably hurt them.
—Dylan Matthews, Vox, 18 July 2018
This cultural tendency produced little soviets in the factories and barracks, which came together in a big Soviet in Petrograd; and suddenly The People, stomped-down for centuries, emerged as a living entity.
—Olga Ingurazova, Smithsonian, 29 Sep. 2017
Adjective
TVs overhanging the sprawling beer bars show ice skating instead of soccer; Cyrillic signage proliferates; and Russian-speaking touts dispense flyers for pole-dancing clubs exclusively featuring women from former Soviet republics.
—TIME, 11 Apr. 2024
Advertisement Most defections went in the opposite direction, and Soviet officials treated their arrival as a propaganda bonanza.
—Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
At this point in the conflict, ordinary Americans viscerally feared the threat of a Soviet attack.
—Emily Matchar, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024
After Germany’s defeat in World War II, Soviet occupiers confiscated Audi’s manufacturing equipment.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
McGregor plays Count Alexander Rostov, a Russian noble who escapes execution after the Soviet revolution but is placed under house arrest for life—living out his days in the attic of a fancy Russian hotel.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Over the years, Tokyo has shifted its military focus away from northern Japan, where the Cold War threat was a Soviet land invasion, to its southwest islands.
—Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
The American spent 14 days in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison before negotiations between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev — then the USSR's new reform-minded leader — cut a deal to set him free.
—Charles Maynes, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
Instead, the Soviet regime sentences him to a lifetime of house arrest in his last known residence — which just happens to be the Metropol luxury hotel.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soviet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing soviet
Dictionary Entries Near soviet
Cite this Entry
“Soviet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soviet. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
soviet
noun
so·vi·et
ˈsōv-ē-ˌet
ˈsäv-,
-ē-ət
1
a
: an elected governing council in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
2
plural capitalized
: the people and especially the political and military leaders of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
soviet
adjective
often capitalized
Etymology
Noun
from Russian sovet "council"
More from Merriam-Webster on soviet
Nglish: Translation of soviet for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of soviet for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about soviet
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share