partisanship
noun
par·ti·san·ship
ˈpär-tə-zən-ˌship 
-sən-,
-ˌzan-
chiefly British ˌpär-tə-ˈzan-
: the quality or state of being partisan : strong and sometimes blind adherence to a particular party, faction, cause, or person
political partisanship
The Court is so riven by partisanship that justices even pick their law clerks in ways influenced by ideology …—
Anthony Lewis
Anthony LewisThe succession of Civil War, Reconstruction and the Gilded Age was marked by bitter partisanship, endemic corruption, appalling violence and a general sense that democracy was failing.—Jon Grinspan
Jon GrinspanExamples of partisanship in a Sentence
partisanship can discourage any serious search for the truth
there's a pervasive partisanship in the company that prevents it from acknowledging that other companies are outpacing it with innovative ideas
Recent Examples on the Web
Reflexive partisanship is not just politically unwise but operationally untenable.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
If only Van Hollen and others could put down their partisanship for just one moment and see the possibilities.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 5 Apr. 2026
The backlash against the Zarutska mural campaign isn’t purely about partisanship.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Good-government groups agree with the GOP, saying the board should bend over backward to avoid an appearance of partisanship.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for partisanship
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Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
If only Van Hollen and others could put down their partisanship for just one moment and see the possibilities.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 5 Apr. 2026
The backlash against the Zarutska mural campaign isn’t purely about partisanship.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Good-government groups agree with the GOP, saying the board should bend over backward to avoid an appearance of partisanship.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for partisanship
Cite this Entry
“Partisanship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/partisanship. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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