noun
Usage
What does allegiance mean? Allegiance is loyalty or faithfulness, especially to a person or cause. Allegiance usually refers to a loyalty that is considered extremely important, such as to a country or leader. If you went to school in the United States, you’re familiar with the Pledge of Allegiance, which is an oath of loyalty to the country recited by schoolchildren and at patriotic ceremonies. This type of formal loyalty is what’s implied by allegiance. The adjective form of allegiance is allegiant. Example: Her supporters’ allegiance never lessened, even in the aftermath of the scandal.
Synonym Usage
See loyalty.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of allegiance
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English aliegiaunce, equivalent to a- probably a- 5 + liege liege + -aunce -ance; compare Middle French ligeance
Explanation
Every second grader knows how to pledge allegiance to the flag, but do you think they realize when they place their right hand over their hearts that they're expressing loyalty to what we call the "Red, White, and Blue"? You can pledge your allegiance to a flag or swear your allegiance to a government or cause. Either way you're expressing your commitment and devotion in the firmest sense of the word. The liege in allegiance comes from the Old French word meaning "lord and master," which is who you would have been swearing your allegiance to if you'd been a servant in France centuries ago.
Vocabulary lists containing allegiance
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
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Donald Trump Inauguration Address- January 20, 2017
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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:
“Warsh’s pledge of allegiance to the target seems to have convinced the business press he is an inflation hawk,” said Ethan Harris, former chief economist at BofA Securities.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
“I signed, I swore allegiance, and it was all over.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
“There is ‘an expectation that even the Attorney General must be able to draw the line between political allegiance and fidelity to the people, as well as the fair administration of law,’ ” Williams wrote.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who was born in London, represented England at under-20 and under-21 levels but switched international allegiance to DR Congo in 2025.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Except for the one tiny earring signaling his allegiance to some vaguely alternative point of view, George is a perfect straight arrow—crew-cut, hardworking, and hungry for eye contact.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
Blackpool, on the coast of northwest England, is a window into shifting political allegiances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
Dudamel remained a big supporter of his successor, even after Harding revealed his British allegiances when he compared baseball to cricket.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
"Talking to customers in the back of the cab, you can see allegiances switching," said Steve, 63, a taxi driver.
From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 2026
The 26-year-old Real Madrid forward - who made one senior appearance for Spain - switched allegiances to Morocco in 2023 and is the top scorer at this year's Afcon.
From BBC ● Jan. 18, 2026
I couldn’t help but feel as though she was divorcing us, trading in her old allegiances for a new one.
From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat
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.
