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 academy, which has expanded its overseas membership in recent years, also continued its tilt toward international films. —Jake Coyle The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 23 Jan. 2026

The Access membership — which gives you full access to the fitness equipment and community space during regular business hours — is $60 per month. —Alexa Stone january 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026

Enjoy complimentary access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club network and Priority PassTM Select membership. —Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026

Regarding Ukraine’s European track, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka expressed the opinion that Kyiv would be fully integrated into the EU energy market by 2027, even without formal membership. —Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 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