partisanship

noun

par·​ti·​san·​ship ˈpär-tə-zən-ˌship How to pronounce partisanship (audio)
-sən-,
-ˌzan-,
 chiefly British  ˌpär-tə-ˈzan-
: 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

Examples of partisanship in a Sentence

partisanship can discourage any serious search for the truth there's a pervasive partisanship in the company that prevents it from acknowledging that other companies are outpacing it with innovative ideas
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That warning went unheeded, and Wisconsin has seen only the beginning of what an alarming shift from thoughtful, principled judicial service toward bitter partisanship, personal attacks, and political gamesmanship is that have no place in court. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025 But legal analysts say that Pirro’s comments in her deposition show a level of partisanship and willingness to mislead the public that should disqualify her from holding such a top position at DOJ. Josh Meyer, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025 Social media, hyper-partisanship and deliberate misinformation attempts complicate emergency response and recovery efforts. Eric Kevin Stern, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025 The House’s action was riven with partisanship. Kevin R. Kosar, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for partisanship

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of partisanship was in 1798

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Cite this Entry

“Partisanship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/partisanship. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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