To save this word, you'll need to log in.
par·ti·san·ship | \ ˈpär-tə-zən-ˌship 
, -sən-, -ˌzan-, chiefly British ˌpär-tə-ˈzan-\
, -sən-, -ˌzan-, chiefly British ˌpär-tə-ˈzan-\Definition of partisanship
: the quality or state of being partisan : strong and sometimes blind adherence to a particular party, faction, cause, or person
political partisanship The Court is so riven by partisanship that justices even pick their law clerks in ways influenced by ideology …— Anthony Lewis The succession of Civil War, Reconstruction and the Gilded Age was marked by bitter partisanship, endemic corruption, appalling violence and a general sense that democracy was failing.— Jon Grinspan
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on partisanship
What made you want to look up partisanship? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Confusing Words—A Quiz
- I invented a brand new toaster robot and
______it "Sir Toasts-a-Lot."
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- Confusing Words—A Quiz
Test your knowledge of these commonly confused words!
Take the quiz - Here Be Dragons: A Creature Identification Quiz Take the quiz
- Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz - Dictionary Devil
The dictionary has been scrambled—can you put it back together?
Play the game
Share partisanship
Resources for partisanship