ADJ

acceptable, fit, good, healthy
She managed to get the company's finances into a healthy state
appalling, awful, bad, desperate, dire, dreadful, pitiful, poor, sorry, terrible
run-down
We were shocked at the run-down state of the hospital
emotional, mental, psychological
He's not in a fit enough mental state to drive
physical
The inspectors assess the physical state of schools and equipment
financial
nervous, trance-like
He goes into a trance-like state when he plays the guitar
current, present
former, previous
natural
You can either varnish the wood or leave it in its natural state
constant, continual, continuous, permanent, perpetual
The country is in a perpetual state of anarchy
advanced
an advanced state of dehydration

VERB + STATE

get into, go into
get sth into

PREP

in a ~
Jane was in a terrible state after losing her job
into a ~
Babies can cry themselves into a state of frenzy
~ of
His life seems to be in a constant state of chaos

PHRASES

be in a good/bad, etc. state of repair
The house was in a poor state of repair when we bought it
a state of affairs
The brothers' refusal to work together had brought about this sad state of affairs
a state of emergency
The government has declared a state of emergency in the flooded regions
a state of flux
The education system is still in a state of flux following the recent reform
a state of health
He's concerned about his mother's state of health
a state of mind
Public speaking can produce a state of mind akin to panic
a state of shock
The driver was just sitting there in a state of shock
a state of war

ADJ

independent, nation, sovereign
foreign
democratic, one-party, socialist, totalitarian, etc.
member
member states of the European Union
powerful, strong
weak
neighbouring

STATE + NOUN

enterprise, monopoly
control, ownership
The telephone network is still under state control
property
Every citizen could buy shares in privatized state property
sector, system
Teachers in the state sector are asking for a 7% pay rise. schools outside the state system
education, school
Did you go to a state school or a private school?
aid, funding, funds, subsidy, support
benefit, pension
unemployed people living on state benefit The state pension is barely enough to live on
intervention
large-scale state intervention in industry
spending
Some prefer tax cuts to greater state spending on health and social services
employee
secret
He was shot for passing state secrets to foreign powers

PHRASES

affairs/matters of state
The president's wife is said to have a powerful hand in affairs of state
head of state
Visiting heads of state usually stay in the palace