What does "alliance" mean?
The state of being allied.
Alliance
/əˈlaɪ.əns/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The state of being allied.
- Grammar: alliance is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: coalition, confederation, a world-without-end bargain, academic collaboration.
- Useful contrasts: breach, conflict, dissolution.
- Usage evidence: Japan entered into an alliance with France just before the war.
How to use "alliance"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "alliance" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "alliance" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "alliance" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "alliance" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "alliance" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "coalition" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "alliance", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The state of being allied. uncountable
- 2 the act of forming an alliance or confederation wordnet
- 3 The act of allying or uniting. countable
- 4 a formal agreement establishing an association or alliance between nations or other groups to achieve a particular aim wordnet
- 5 A union or connection of interests between families, states, parties, etc., especially between families by marriage and states by compact, treaty, or league. countable
"matrimonial alliances"
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 an organization of people (or countries) involved in a pact or treaty wordnet
- 7 A union or connection of interests between families, states, parties, etc., especially between families by marriage and states by compact, treaty, or league.; Marriage. India, countable, dated, uncountable
- 8 a connection based on kinship or marriage or common interest wordnet
- 9 Any union resembling that of families or states; union by relationship in qualities; affinity. countable
"And as for kindred , there is no Alliance neerer vnto any one, than their Countrey , that is to be vnto vs another God, and our prime and deareſt Parent."
- 10 the state of being allied or confederated wordnet
- 11 The persons or parties allied. countable, uncountable
- 12 Synonym of cohort (“group of orders of organisms”). countable, dated, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To connect or unite by alliance; to ally. obsolete
Proper Noun
- 1 A former unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California, United States, now incorporated into the city of Arcata.
- 2 An unincorporated community in Madison County, Indiana, United States.
- 3 A city, the county seat of Box Butte County, Nebraska, United States.
- 4 A town in Pamlico County, North Carolina, United States.
- 5 A city situated mostly in Stark County, Ohio, United States.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A master planned community in Denton County and Tarrant County, Texas, United States.
- 7 A village in central Alberta, Canada.
- 8 A town in Suriname, on the banks of the Suriname River.
- 9 Ellipsis of Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. Northern-Ireland, abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
- 10 The alliance in the 1980s between the SDP and the Liberal Party, precursor of the Liberal Democrats. UK, historical
Synonyms
All synonyms coalitionconfederationa world-without-end bargainacademic collaborationacademic cooperationacademic federation
Antonyms
Example
"Japan entered into an alliance with France just before the war."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "alliance"?
Common synonyms include: coalition, confederation, a world-without-end bargain, academic collaboration, academic cooperation, academic federation.
How do you use "alliance" in a sentence?
Japan entered into an alliance with France just before the war.
How do you pronounce "alliance"?
Pronounced /əˈlaɪ.əns/.
Etymology
From Middle English alliaunce, from Old French aliance (French alliance). Equivalent to ally + -ance. Compare with Doric Greek ἁλία (halía, “assembly”).