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

Rosenlew will retain his CFO responsibilities and membership on Stora Enso’s group leadership team while serving as deputy to president and CEO Hans Sohlström, who remains in his role. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026

Prime membership comes with a host of benefits, including free one-day, two-day, and even same-day delivery on many items, plus access to unlimited grocery delivery (for an additional monthly fee). — Melissa Knific, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026

While DoorDash had offered delivery from the membership-only warehouse in other markets abroad, it had been long requested by American customers, said the company in a Thursday statement. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026

The proposal came as Brussels and Ottawa seek to deepen ties, signaling a significant shift in the EU, which had been lukewarm to Germany's proposal in May for granting an associate membership to Ukraine. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026

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