in a state of nature

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.

There are those who think it’s about man in a state of nature, what we are capable of when society is made primal around us.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

Animals living in a state of nature should be granted the same rights and freedoms as their human counterparts.

From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022

In 1773, they wrote in what are known as the Sheffield Resolves that “Mankind in a state of nature are equal, free, and independent of each other.”

From Seattle Times • Aug. 20, 2022

The screenplays are a goldmine for observations on the human condition in a state of nature, beyond the constraints of modern institutions.

From The Guardian • Apr. 24, 2016

Rousseau said every man had naturally a right to whatever he needed; and Brissot, anticipating the famous words of Proudhon, declared that in a state of nature "exclusive property was theft."

From Contemporary Socialism by Rae, John