partisanship

noun

par·​ti·​san·​ship ˈpär-tə-zən-ˌship 

-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

Synonyms of partisanship

• bias
• prejudice
• tendentiousness
• partiality

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

His story demonstrates that democracy depends on participation, respectful disagreement, and a willingness to put principles above partisanship. — Clarine Nardi Riddle, Hartford Courant, 7 Sep. 2026

But partisanship surfaced even in the ritual public mourning for the two women. — ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026

Some fans reflected that Parton represented a different era of America, one that wasn’t defined by political divisions and partisanship. — Rachel Hale, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

To prevail, Benitez-Thompson would have to defy political gravity, which is to say overcome the reflexive partisanship that has typified politics in this age of deep voter polarization. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for partisanship

• apostleship
• apprenticeship
• assistantship
• championship
• chancellorship
• citizenship
• companionship
• copartnership
• dictatorship
• directorship
• discipleship
• editorship