membership

noun

mem·​ber·​ship ˈmem-bər-ˌship 

plural memberships

1

: the state or status of being a member

2

: the body of members

an organization with a large membership

3

mathematics : the relation between an element of a set (see set entry 2 sense 21) or class and the set or class itself compare inclusion sense 3a

Examples of membership in a Sentence

What is the cost of a one-year membership?

Membership in the club doubled last year.

clubs that are hoping to increase their membership

The club has a large membership.

clubs that are hoping to increase their memberships

Recent Examples on the Web

The name Book Society was deliberately chosen and carries distinct connotations of membership, belonging and community, the California company said in a statement. —Katie Langford, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026

Knightsbridge has handled everything from furnishing the rental to securing a gym membership to sourcing wine for the family’s collection. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2026

But shoppers who purchase a Walmart+ membership can receive 10 cents off per gallon at more than 13,000 stations, including Exxon, Mobil, Walmart and Murphy. —Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026

The amount of money each customer receives from the settlement is based on the total amount of Amazon Prime membership fees paid throughout the duration of their subscription. —Melina Khan, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for membership

• authorship
• battleship
• censorship
• chairmanship
• chieftainship
• comradeship
• consulship
• craftsmanship
• dealership
• draftsmanship
• fellowship
• fingertip

Kids Definition

membership

noun

mem·​ber·​ship ˈmem-bər-ˌship 

1

: the state or status of being a member

2

: all the members of an organization