alignment

noun

align·​ment ə-ˈlīn-mənt How to pronounce alignment (audio)
variants or less commonly alinement
Synonyms of alignmentnext
1
: the act of aligning or state of being aligned
especially : the proper positioning or state of adjustment of parts (as of a mechanical or electronic device) in relation to each other
2
a
: a forming in line
b
: the line thus formed
3
: the ground plan (as of a railroad or highway) in distinction from the profile
4
: an arrangement of groups or forces in relation to one another
new alignments within the political party

Examples of alignment in a Sentence

The school has to bring its programs into alignment with state requirements. New alignments have been created within the political party.
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.
The moon’s alignment with Pluto encourages you to confront the elephant in the room. Usa Today, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026 As production ramps up, the competitive landscape is shifting away from theoretical performance metrics and toward more practical benchmarks such as cost per cycle and alignment with specific applications, CarNewsChina adds. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026 For instance, industry has distinct knowledge about AI’s emergent capabilities and risks, the efficacy of evaluations, and innovations in model training and alignment. Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026 The video compresses nearly an hour of totality into a short sequence, showing the precise alignment of the sun, moon and spacecraft, as the Artemis 2 crew flew around the far side of the moon on April 6. Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for alignment

Word History

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of alignment was in 1742

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Alignment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alignment. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

alignment

noun
align·​ment
variants also alinement
1
a
: the act of aligning : the state of being aligned
b
: the proper adjustment of parts in relation to each other
2
: an arrangement of groups or forces
a new political alignment

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