faction

1 of 2

noun

fac·​tion ˈfak-shən 

1

: a party or group (as within a government) that is often contentious or self-seeking : clique

The committee soon split into factions.

2

: party spirit especially when marked by dissension

Faction, or the irreconcilable conflict of parties …

—Ernest Barker

factional

ˈfak-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

factionalism

ˈfak-sh(ə-)nə-ˌli-zəm 

noun

factionally

ˈfak-sh(ə-)nəl-ē 

adverb

-faction

2 of 2

noun combining form

: making : -fication

petrifaction

Synonyms of faction

Noun

• party
• side
• wing
• sect
• coalition
• team
• bloc

Examples of faction in a Sentence

Noun

The committee soon split into factions.

several factions within the environmental movement have joined forces to save this wilderness area

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Houthis, a political-religious faction in Yemen, announced the blockade July 20. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 22 July 2026

One small but loud faction on Labour’s left was the Militant Tendency, a highly disciplined group that took its name from the socialist newspaper around which its members gathered. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

According to the think tank InSight Crime, the alliance between these factions was one of the main reasons the Sinaloa cartel consolidated itself as one of the most powerful in the region. — Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Across the globe, populist leaders and fundamentalist factions attempt to consolidate power by dividing populations and silencing dissent. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French faccion, borrowed from Latin factiōn-, factiō "act of making, social set, band, group, self-seeking political group," from facere "to make, bring about, place, classify" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at fact

Note: A doublet of faction is fashion entry 1, from the Gallo-Romance outcome of Latin factiō, which maintains only the meaning "act of making," sparsely attested outside of early Latin except in legal use.

Noun combining form

borrowed from Latin -factiōn-, -factiō (as in satisfactiōn-, satisfactiō satisfaction)

First Known Use

Noun

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for faction

• action
• faction
• fraction
• traction
• abstraction
• attraction
• compaction
• contraction
• detraction
• diffraction
• benefaction
• counteraction

Kids Definition

faction

noun

fac·​tion ˈfak-shən 

: a group acting together within a larger body (as a government) : clique

factional

-shnəl 

-shən-ᵊl

adjective

factionalism

-ˌiz-əm 

noun