alliance

[ uh-lahy-uhns ]
See synonyms for alliance on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the act of allying or state of being allied.

  2. a formal agreement or treaty between two or more nations to cooperate for specific purposes.

  1. a merging of efforts or interests by persons, families, states, or organizations: an alliance between church and state.

  2. the persons or entities so allied.

  3. marriage or the relationship created by marriage between the families of the spouses.

  4. correspondence in basic characteristics; affinity: the alliance between logic and metaphysics.

Origin of alliance

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English aliance, from Old French; equivalent to ally + -ance

synonym study For alliance

1. Alliance, confederation, league, union all mean the joining of states for mutual benefit or to permit the joint exercise of functions. An alliance may apply to any connection entered into for mutual benefit. League usually suggests closer combination or a more definite object or purpose. Confederation applies to a permanent combination for the exercise in common of certain governmental functions. Union implies an alliance so close and permanent that the separate states or parties become essentially one.

Other words for alliance

Other words from alliance

  • in·ter·al·li·ance, noun, adjective
  • non·al·li·ance, noun
  • pre·al·li·ance, noun
  • pro·al·li·ance, adjective
  • re·al·li·ance, noun
  • sub·al·li·ance, noun

Words Nearby alliance

Other definitions for Alliance (2 of 2)

Alliance
[ uh-lahy-uhns ]

noun
  1. a city in NE Ohio.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use alliance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for alliance (1 of 2)

alliance

/ (əˈlaɪəns) /


noun
  1. the act of allying or state of being allied; union; confederation

  2. a formal agreement or pact, esp a military one, between two or more countries to achieve a particular aim

  1. the countries involved in such an agreement

  2. a union between families through marriage

  3. affinity or correspondence in qualities or characteristics

  4. botany a taxonomic category consisting of a group of related families; subclass

Origin of alliance

1
C13: from Old French aliance, from alier to ally

British Dictionary definitions for Alliance (2 of 2)

Alliance

/ (əˈlaɪəns) /


noun(in Britain)
    • the Alliance the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party acting or regarded as a political entity from 1981 to 1988

    • (as modifier): an Alliance candidate

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012