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

Discounted membership options are available for young adults and qualifying recipients of government assistance. —Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025

Access to Even House starts at $180 a month for social membership, bumps to $250 with daily simulator time, and tops out at $450 with lessons, priority booking, and perks like a free drink on each visit. —Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

The financially distressed 113-year-old organization recently voted to hike membership prices by 160% over the next few years to help keep the group afloat. —Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025

Book Now Guests need Soho House membership to book their stay. —Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025

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