allegiance

noun

al·​le·​giance ə-ˈlē-jən(t)s 

1

a

: the obligation of a feudal vassal to his liege lord

b(1)

: the fidelity owed by a subject or citizen to a sovereign or government

I pledge allegiance to my country.

(2)

: the obligation of an alien to the government under which the alien resides

2

: devotion or loyalty to a person, group, or cause

allegiance to a political party

allegiant

ə-ˈlē-jənt 

adjective

Synonyms

• adhesion
• attachment
• commitment
• constancy
• dedication
• devotedness
• devotion
• faith
• faithfulness
• fastness
• fealty
• fidelity
• loyalty
• piety
• steadfastness
• troth

Choose the Right Synonym for allegiance

fidelity, allegiance, fealty, loyalty, devotion, piety mean faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty.

fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty.

marital fidelity

allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country.

pledging allegiance

fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow.

fealty to the truth

loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray.

valued the loyalty of his friends

devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication.

a painter's devotion to her art

piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental.

filial piety

Examples of allegiance in a Sentence

He owes allegiance to them for all the help they have given him.

Both candidates are working hard to convince voters to switch allegiances.

Recent Examples on the Web

By seemingly going against one’s allegiance, the speaker bolsters the persuasiveness of the testimony and reduces the appearance of bias. —Richard E. Vatz, Baltimore Sun, 21 July 2024

The President-elect is arrested and the 25th Amendment is invoked, with the Speaker of the House pledging his allegiance to Homelander before being sworn in as President. —Demetrius Patterson, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 July 2024

The syndicates, along with the Empire, present a persistent threat to Kay as she’s forced to go back on her shaky allegiances when new opportunities and imperatives present themselves. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2024

Turkey's punishment of Hizmet stems from Fethullah Gulen, the movement's originator, refusing to pledge unconditional allegiance to Erdogan. —David Faris, Newsweek, 9 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English aligeaunce, from Anglo-French allegeance, alteration of ligeance, from lige liege

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

allegiance

noun

al·​le·​giance ə-ˈlē-jən(t)s 

1

: loyalty and obedience owed to one's country or government

2

: devotion or loyalty to a person, group, or cause