territorial
Protective of space
Territorial describes anything relating to land or geographic areas, especially those controlled or claimed by a person, animal, or political entity.
Animals exhibit territorial behavior when they defend their home range from intruders; humans do much the same with property lines and national borders.
The dog gets territorial when strangers approach the yard.
A territorial dispute involves competing claims over land.
In political contexts, territorial often refers to regions that belong to a country but lack full statehood or provincial status.
Antagonistic disposition toward others
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
- antagonismActive opposition or hostility
- combativenessInclination toward conflict
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
intimidation · provocation · conflict · rivalry · challenge · standoff · skirmish · encroachment
Domination through foreign settlement
- imperialismExtending dominion over others
- conquestDefeating and seizing control
- annexationAbsorbing territory into jurisdiction
- occupationOne's regular paid work
colonization · settlement · manifest destiny · acquisition · incursion · invasion · land grab · proliferation
Excessive attachment to ownership
- protectivenessInstinct to shield others
- defensivenessResistance to perceived attack
- vigilanceState of keen awareness
- watchfulnessCareful, sustained attention
guarding · hoarding · claiming · dominance · jealousy · exclusivity · attachment · ownership
Outer edge or limit
- perimeterShape's outer edge length
- boundaryLine marking a limit
- demarcationFormal boundary setting
- frontierEdge of settlement
enclave · zone · district · region · province · jurisdiction · sector · domain
Freedom from external control
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- nationhoodStatus as independent country
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- statehoodCondition of being sovereign
jurisdiction · self-rule · integrity · homeland · motherland · fatherland · realm · nation-state
Organizational oversight and control
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- municipalityLocal governing district
- provinceRegional administrative district
- countyLocal administrative division
state · district · region · legislature · council · governor · charter · ordinance
Indicating with symbols
- defendingProtecting against harm
- patrollingMonitoring by traversing
- guardingActively protecting something
- posturingInsincere behavior for effect
displaying · claiming · spraying · vocalizing · nesting · denning · roosting · perching
hostility
Antagonistic disposition toward others
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
- antagonismActive opposition or hostility
- combativenessInclination toward conflict
dominance · intimidation · provocation · conflict · rivalry · challenge · standoff · skirmish · encroachment · intrusion
colonialism
Domination through foreign settlement
- imperialismExtending dominion over others
- conquestDefeating and seizing control
- annexationAbsorbing territory into jurisdiction
occupation · colonization · settlement · manifest destiny · acquisition · incursion · invasion · land grab · proliferation · encroachment
possessiveness
Excessive attachment to ownership
- protectivenessInstinct to shield others
- defensivenessResistance to perceived attack
- vigilanceState of keen awareness
watchfulness · guarding · hoarding · claiming · dominance · jealousy · exclusivity · attachment · ownership · control
border
Outer edge or limit
- perimeterShape's outer edge length
- boundaryLine marking a limit
- demarcationFormal boundary setting
frontier · enclave · zone · district · region · province · jurisdiction · sector · domain · range
independence
Freedom from external control
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- nationhoodStatus as independent country
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
statehood · jurisdiction · self-rule · integrity · homeland · motherland · fatherland · realm · nation-state · recognition
administration
Organizational oversight and control
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- municipalityLocal governing district
- provinceRegional administrative district
county · state · district · region · legislature · council · governor · charter · ordinance · statute
marking
Indicating with symbols
- defendingProtecting against harm
- patrollingMonitoring by traversing
- guardingActively protecting something
posturing · displaying · claiming · spraying · vocalizing · nesting · denning · roosting · perching · burrowing
- primal instinctsinstinct, primal, feral, savage, predator
- AlaskaFairbanks, Juneau, Denali, Sitka, Kodiak
- governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
- -al adjectivescultural, emotional, environmental, federal, financial
- behaviorshabit, aggressive, agitation, conduct, passive
- dog traitsloyal, friendly, loyalty, devoted, playful
territorialnonterritorial
Not defined by place
welcoming · hospitable · sharing · generous · unguarded
territorialwelcoming
Receiving others warmly
hospitable · friendly · inclusive · inviting · receptive
territorialextraterritorial
Outside local legal authority
borderless · international · global · universal · transnational
- British territoriesLands under UK sovereignty
- occupied territoriesRegions under foreign control
- uncharted territoriesRegions not yet surveyed
- territorial disputeConflict over land boundaries
- disputed territoriesLands with rival sovereignty claims
- U.S. territoriesAmerican land without statehood
territories, territoriality, territorially, extraterritorial, territorialism, territorial waters