coalition

American  

[koh-uh-lish-uhn] / ˌkoʊ əˈlɪʃ ən /

noun

1. a combination or alliance, especially a temporary one between persons, factions, states, etc.

   Synonyms:

   league, partnership

2. a union into one body or mass; fusion.

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coalition British  

/ ˌkəʊəˈlɪʃən /

noun

1. 1. an alliance or union between groups, factions, or parties, esp for some temporary and specific reason

   2. ( as modifier )

      a coalition government

2. a fusion or merging into one body or mass

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coalition Cultural  

1. An alliance of political groups formed to oppose a common foe or pursue a common goal.

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Discover More

In countries with many political parties, none of which can get a majority of the citizens' votes, the only way an effective government can be formed is by a coalition of parties. Such coalitions are often unstable.

Other Word Forms

• coalitional
  adjective
• coalitioner
  noun
• coalitionist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of coalition

1605–15; < Latin coalitiōn- (stem of coalitiō ), equivalent to coalit ( us ), past participle of coalēscere ( co- co- + ali-, past participle stem of alere to nourish + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion; see coalesce

Explanation

A coalition is a group of people who join together for a common cause, like a coalition you form with other skateboarders who want to convince your town to build a skate park. The noun coalition comes from the Latin word coalitiō, meaning "to grow together." Often, the people and groups that form coalitions have different backgrounds but come together because they share a goal. For example, parents, teachers, business owners, and city council members might form a coalition to build a teen center, just as nations that do not agree on all issues might form a coalition because they all want peace.

Example Sentences

"Now, people are making sure that they are aware to what they are doing and they don't feel safe," Monica Sarmiento of the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights told AFP.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Several potential Bundibugyo vaccines are in development, but they haven’t been tested in humans and preclinical data are limited, according to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which funds vaccine development.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Saturday could also be the first time neither of the two major parties – Labor and the Liberal-National Coalition – ends up in the two-candidate preferred count at a federal election.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, said her staff experiences harassment and death threats.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

Or had that been the PFC—the Post-Flares Coalition?

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner