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:
England's choice of allegiance, in other words, may have carried consequences far beyond Rome.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
It lessened his allegiance to the free-market economic system.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
“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
“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
I would do anything to demonstrate my allegiance.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
The ECB's chief executive Richard Gould suggested the new ownership would eventually improve fans' allegiances to the teams despite the overhaul, but accepted that attendances need to improve.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
The New York native grew up rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers before switching allegiances to the Yankees when the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Born in France, Wahi switched allegiances to the African nation in March and started in the Ivory Coast's opening 1-0 World Cup Group E victory over Ecuador on Sunday.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
The difference now is that even the haves—the schools and conferences that had no issue dissolving old allegiances acting entirely in their own self interest—agree it’s gotten ridiculous.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
A rumor that he was going to “denounce one of the horses” during a Fireside Chat made the rounds, but he kept his allegiances secret.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
