partisanship

noun

par·​ti·​san·​ship ˈpär-tə-zən-ˌship How to pronounce partisanship (audio)
-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
The 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

Examples 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But more recently, partisanship has affected the setting of standards. David J. Vogel, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2025 During a time of intense partisanship, those numbers speak volumes about the importance of public lands to everyday Americans. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2025 The same intense partisanship that makes Washington dysfunctional made Democrats inclined to act rationally about picking a broadly appealing candidate. Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025 Still, others say partisanship isn’t — and shouldn’t be — necessarily unwelcome. Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for partisanship

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of partisanship was in 1798

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Cite this Entry

“Partisanship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/partisanship. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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