nonpartisan
Americanadjective
-
not supporting or controlled by a political party, special interest group, or the like.
- Synonyms:
- disinterested
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nonpartisan
First recorded in 1880–85; non- + partisan 1
Explanation
Nonpartisan words and actions don't show allegiance to any political party. They're politically neutral. In the United States’ political system, it often seems like politicians only do what's best for their party: the Democrats or Republicans. Politicians are partisan when they act in favor of their party. To behave in a nonpartisan way is to put politics aside. A nonpartisan bill wouldn't be good just for one party: it would be good for the whole country. Politicians who are nonpartisan stop worrying about elections for a minute and get some things done.
Vocabulary lists containing nonpartisan
One Nation, Under Vocabulary: Political Parlance
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Just Mercy
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Civics II
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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.
In 2032, benefits will be cut by 26%, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan federal agency that provides Congress with independent analysis of budgetary and economic issues.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
Vote Safe organizers stress that their own volunteers will be unarmed and nonpartisan, and say their purpose is not to confront officials but to provide a familiar presence and record what happens.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
He’s been tracking political contests nationwide for more than 25 years and edits and publishes Inside Elections — formerly the Rothenberg Political Report — another nonpartisan field guide to campaigns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
In August, the Government Accountability Office, the nonpartisan congressional watchdog, said the Army hadn’t developed a detailed schedule that identifies which units will get the new capabilities and when.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
The nonpartisan fellowship also gave me the chance to learn from the other fellows, an impressively diverse and talented group from all over the country.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
