coalition

American  

[koh-uh-lish-uhn] / ˌkoʊ əˈlɪʃ ən /

noun

• coalitions
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• coalitioner
  noun
• coalitionist
  noun
• coalitional
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• coalitions
  plural

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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

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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

See Examples For:

coalition coalitions

The Saudi-led coalition said drones fired by the Houthis at the kingdom's southern region and the city of Khamis Mushait were intercepted.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

Earlier, the Houthis denied that they had attacked Saudi Arabia on Thursday, after the coalition said its forces had intercepted a cruise missile in the Medina region, home to one of Islam's holiest shrines.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Gen. Turki al-Maliki, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, said Tuesday that four cruise missiles and two drones fired toward Riyadh and southern Saudi Arabia had been intercepted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

The formation of the new coalition comes at an uncertain time in a country that has been wracked by violence for decades.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

“The superintendent agreed to meet with the coalition today, after school,” Shana says.

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas

Flavio Bolsonaro has focused on building coalitions and doubled down on his plans to shrink the state and modernize the tax system.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

The Rev. Patricia Coleman-Burns, a University of Michigan professor emerita who grew up in Detroit and has watched the region’s racial and political coalitions shift for more than 70 years, was a die-hard Stevens supporter.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026

In a January speech at Davos, Carney urged middle powers to stand up to hegemons and called for the formation of “different coalitions for different issues based on common values and interests.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

But these broad coalitions were fragile, while the economic and institutional power of entrenched oligarchies remained largely intact.

From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2026

When two males are contesting the alpha position, they usually do so by forming extensive coalitions of supporters, both male and female, from within the group.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

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