When referring to the various regions and territories of the United States, there are a few different ways to describe them aside from "American state." One synonym is "statehood," which pertains to the status of being an independent state within the country. Another term is "commonwealth," which is used to describe states that are self-governing entities but have a unique political relationship with the federal government. "Territory" can also be used to describe regions of the U.S. that are not yet officially recognized as states, such as Puerto Rico and Guam. Additionally, "province" is sometimes used as a synonym for an American state, although this term is more commonly associated with Canadian regions.