alliance

noun

ə-ˈlī-ən(t)s How to pronounce alliance (audio)
Definition of alliancenext
1
as in treaty
a formal agreement between two or more nations or peoples the smaller countries signed an alliance pledging to protect one another against the belligerent behemoth in their midst

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2
as in coalition
an association of persons, parties, or states for mutual assistance and protection an alliance between the French and the Algonquians to check Iroquois advances into their territory

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3
as in partnership
the state of having shared interests or efforts (as in social or business matters) in alliance with booksellers, the nation's schools are promoting National Reading Month

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of alliance Another of the four Hypercar marques built around such alliances is GM’s Cadillac brand. — Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Still, the last time the alliance faced a similar test of cohesion from Moscow was nearly 50 years ago, as the Cold War was entering its final decade. — Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Sep. 2026 Putin's assessment of the prospects for peace contrasts with increasingly stark warnings from NATO about Russian military and hybrid activity around the alliance's eastern flank. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026 The alliance is currently inviting companies, institutions, and other relevant key players to join the initiative. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for alliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alliance
  1. treaty
  2. coalition
  3. partnership
  4. pact
  5. confederacy
  6. association
  7. union
  8. collaboration
Noun
  • The tragedy led to more than 120 countries signing the Minamata Convention on Mercury, an international treaty that sought to prevent future incidents of mercury poisoning by regulating the handling and use of the metal.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The international treaty prevents countries from sending people to nations where they could be harmed.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of treaty
Noun
  • If the AfD doesn’t get an absolute majority in Sunday’s elections, all other parties could form a ragtag coalition to shut it out of power in the state.
    — Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
  • On Friday evening, Meloni's coalition government, which took office in October 2022, held a rally in the port city of Bari to mark its becoming Italy's longest-serving cabinet since World War II.
    — Jenni Reid,Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of coalition
Noun
  • The Tommy Hilfiger partnership felt to Kelce like a natural fit.
    — Nick Remsen, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Under the partnership, ERI will use its nationwide electronics collection and processing network to identify, secure, and pre-process products containing rare earth magnets and other critical materials for recovery by Cyclic Materials.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of partnership
Noun
  • The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague on Monday ruled in Pakistan's favor over the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, saying the historic pact remains fully binding and that India had no valid grounds for ending or suspending it.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The negotiators of the original pact did not need to contemplate how the three countries would implement complementary subsidies, investment restrictions, or export controls, as such policies were not then in vogue.
    — Chad P. Bown, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of pact
Noun
  • Seneca said the renaming violated the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua, which was signed by President George Washington and the Haudenosaunee confederacy promising perpetual peace and friendship.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • July 4 birthed independence but also a dysfunctional confederacy.
    — Max Taves, Mercury News, 3 July 2026
Definition of confederacy
Noun
  • Observers say the case was significant to the city's freedom of association and it has been closely watched amid the city's drastic political changes following massive anti-government protests in 2019.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In 2018, Gallucci was part of a subsequent study that challenged the anecdotal association between consuming energy drinks and studying for longer hours in college.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of association
Noun
  • Steinmetz, of the firefighters union, reminded committee members that a total of 25 people died in the 1993 Paxton Hotel fire and the 2003 Cook County Administration Building fire, partly because of a lack of usable fire exits.
    — Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Hawthorne noted that a schedule of door-to-door canvassing had been distributed throughout the union hall.
    — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of union
Noun
  • There’s nothing basic about this evening look from the Elie Saab H&M collaboration.
    — Tina Isaac-Goizé, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of collaboration

Browse Nearby Words

alleyways
alliance
alliances
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Cite this Entry

“Alliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alliance. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on alliance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alliance

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