noun

annexation

an-ek-SAY-shuhn/ˌænekˈseɪʃn/

The act of adding territory or property to a larger entity.

The proposed annexation would bring the village within the city's boundaries.

Two adjacent unlabeled territory maps become one outlined area with a small flag placed in the added region.

Etymology

anLatinto, toward

+nexLatinto tie, bind

+ationLatinaction or process

The roots picture binding one thing to another, and the ending names the action. This developed into adding a smaller territory to a greater one through formal control.

In context

Natasha's Adventures9:18

But I surely don’t support the annexation of Crimea because it was a way for Putin to express his power and raise the level of patriotism in souls of Russian vatniks. But as Russian authorities consider Crimea Russian territory

Russian banknotes and coins / History of Russian currency

More examples

Residents debate the consequences of annexation.
The historian maps several territorial annexations.
The agreement sets conditions for the annexation of the property.

Forms

annexation · annexations

Similar words

incorporation: Broader joining into a whole, without necessarily changing territorial control.
acquisition: Emphasizes obtaining something rather than adding it to an existing entity.