loyalty
Americannoun
-
loyalties
plural
noun
-
the state or quality of being loyal
-
(often plural) a feeling of allegiance
Synonym Usage
Loyalty, allegiance, fidelity all imply a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone. Loyalty connotes sentiment and the feeling of devotion that one holds for one's country, creed, family, friends, etc. Allegiance applies particularly to a citizen's duty to their country, or, by extension, one's obligation to support a party, cause, leader, etc. Fidelity implies unwavering devotion and allegiance to a person, principle, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of loyalty
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English loialte, from Middle French. See loyal, -ty 2
Explanation
A person who feels loyalty to a nation, cause, or person feels a sense of allegiance, commitment, dedication toward them. Loyalty is — you guessed it! — the quality of being loyal. People demonstrate their loyalty to a sports team by cheering for it, win or lose. People demonstrate their loyalty to a political party by voting only for the people of that party. Brand loyalty is the notion (or hope) that once consumers identify strongly with a particular brand or product, like a car or computer, they'll stick with that brand or maker when it comes time to buy new products.
Vocabulary lists containing loyalty
American Naturalization Test, List 2
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Allegiant
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Medieval Christendom, Lessons 3–5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Whether it's loyalty, laziness, or fear it'll be a faff that keeps us from switching, banks are competing to change our mind.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
That has created loyalty, and it is a vote winner.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Cassidy’s support almost certainly means that Blanche, who faced tough questioning from even some of Cassidy’s fellow Republicans over his loyalty to the president, will be confirmed as the country’s chief law-enforcement officer.
From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026
While no-frills fares expand to business and first class, airlines are quietly rewriting the rules in standard economy—most notably around cancellation policies, miles and loyalty perks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
No one spoke to him after that except Shirley, who sensed his tough talk masked a loyalty as passionate as the others’.
From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord
And as dramatists, they’re uniquely positioned to appreciate the conflicted loyalties and communal tensions of American life in dramatic rather than dogmatic terms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Success requires breaking through large customers’ loyalties and Nvidia’s defensive moats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Speaking in fluent French, this man of mixed Les Bleus and Selecao loyalties said the tournament provided a welcome respite amid chronic fuel shortages which have grounded most cars and public buses.
From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026
Will there be some split loyalties when Haiti take on Brazil?
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
Torn between his incompatible loyalties to Lawrence and to Strauss, Alvarez finally opted to serve the latter, and booked a seat on the red-eye flight to Washington.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
