Sentence:  The evidence suggests that foreign peoples believe the <WSD>United</WSD> States is weaker than the Soviet Union , and is bound to fall still further behind in the years ahead . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776