party line

1 of 2

noun (1)

1

: the policy or practice of a political party

2

: a single telephone circuit connecting two or more subscribers with the exchange

called also party wire

3

: the principles or policies of an individual or organization

also : the explanation or interpretation usually put forth

… the party line that her mother was a saint …

—Leslie Bennetts

party-liner

ˌpär-tē-ˈlī-nər 

noun

party-liner

2 of 2

noun (2)

: one that adheres to a party line

specifically : one that adheres to the Communist party line

a directory of suspected Reds and party-liners

—Time

compare fellow traveler

Examples of party line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The race could hinge on how many Republicans cross party lines to vote for Hamilton. — Riley Callanan, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Ideological divide Americans’ views on how the government should support parents, split along party lines for generations, have been thrown into sharp relief this election cycle amid rising costs and declining birth rates. — Laina Gustafson, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct. 2026

Nettles told the Star-Telegram that endorsements from an organization like the POA should not be along party lines. — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2026

Economic investments in fighting climate change can generate local political benefits across party lines, even if those benefits are not enough to overcome national divisions over climate change. — Kayla Morton, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for party line

• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine
• caroline
• centerline