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

On Monday, Vox is launching its membership program on Patreon, aiming to capture primarily podcast and video consumers. —Max Tani, semafor.com, 17 Nov. 2025

Following the assassination of founder Charlie Kirk, the student group Turning Point USA has seen a surge in membership at Indiana universities. —Cate Charron, IndyStar, 17 Nov. 2025

The transitory judiciary, electoral, and oversight bodies that embody the power-sharing arrangements will have to remain in place, with the same split membership, through at least the first post-transition presidential term. —Francisco Rodríguez, Foreign Affairs, 17 Nov. 2025

We were treated to membership benefits at the Mountain Club, which gave us access to priority lift lines, a private locker room, and a restaurant called the Grill, which has fireplaces and a clear view of the trails. —Jess Feldman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 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