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• alliance
  alliance

  noun

  the act of allying or state of being allied.
• Alliance
  Alliance

  noun

  a city in NE Ohio.

alliance

¹ American  

[uh-lahy-uhns] / əˈlaɪ əns /

noun

• alliances
  plural

1. the act of allying or state of being allied.

   Synonyms:

   affiliation, partnership, bloc, combination, coalition, association

2. a formal agreement or treaty between two or more nations to cooperate for specific purposes.

   Synonyms:

   compact, pact

3. a merging of efforts or interests by persons, families, states, or organizations.

   an alliance between church and state.

4. the persons or entities so allied.

5. marriage or the relationship created by marriage between the families of the spouses.

6. correspondence in basic characteristics; affinity.

   the alliance between logic and metaphysics.

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Alliance ² American  

[uh-lahy-uhns] / əˈlaɪ əns /

noun

1. a city in NE Ohio.

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alliance ¹ British  

/ əˈlaɪəns /

noun

1. the act of allying or state of being allied; union; confederation

2. a formal agreement or pact, esp a military one, between two or more countries to achieve a particular aim

3. the countries involved in such an agreement

4. a union between families through marriage

5. affinity or correspondence in qualities or characteristics

6. botany a taxonomic category consisting of a group of related families; subclass

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Alliance ² British  

/ əˈlaɪəns /

noun

1. 1. the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party acting or regarded as a political entity from 1981 to 1988

   2. ( as modifier )

      an Alliance candidate

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Usage

What is an alliance? An alliance is the act or state of being in a mutually beneficial relationship to work toward a common goal, as in The United States’ longest alliance is with France. Often, alliance refers to a formal agreement between nations that promise to assist each other in war, as in Germany, Italy, and Japan agreed on an alliance during World War II. Alliance can also be used more generally to refer to the people or groups that come together in a common cause, as in The invading orcs were defeated by an alliance of men, elves, and dwarves. Alliance is similar to words such as confederation, union, and league, which also refer to beneficial partnerships. Alliance is used more generally than these words, however. Example: The kids at my school formed an alliance to stop the bully from harassing us. 

Synonym Usage

Alliance, confederation, league, union all mean the joining of states for mutual benefit or to permit the joint exercise of functions. An alliance may apply to any connection entered into for mutual benefit. League usually suggests closer combination or a more definite object or purpose. Confederation applies to a permanent combination for the exercise in common of certain governmental functions. Union implies an alliance so close and permanent that the separate states or parties become essentially one.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interalliance
  noun
• nonalliance
  noun
• prealliance
  noun
• realliance
  noun
• suballiance
  noun
• proalliance
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• alliances
  plural

Etymology

Origin of alliance

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English aliance, from Old French; equivalent to ally + -ance

Explanation

Countries that have an alliance, or agreement, help each other out when in need. That means during times of war, for example, if two countries have an alliance, one will help the other by providing weapons and supplies. An alliance doesn't just have to be between two countries; you can see alliances formed on a playground, when kids start clustering in groups or dividing themselves into teams to play tag. An alliance is essentially a connection through which a common interest is shared. A marriage is an alliance between two people who decide to share their lives together.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

alliance Alliance alliances

It is rare for the alliance to point a finger at Moscow so quickly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

In July, the PGA Tour and DP World Tour struck an alliance with the Asian Tour in another blow to LIV Golf.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent posted on X that "we will not hesitate to participate in further joint intervention", citing economic security and the US-Japan alliance as some of the reasons behind it.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

Long said he’s also found himself in a surprising alliance over data centers with some “liberal white women.”

From Salon ● Aug. 3, 2026

Before leaving Vincennes, Tecumseh informed Harrison that he was traveling south to bring the Creeks, Choctaws, and Chickasaws into the alliance.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

The advocates, including Digital Equity LA and the California Alliance for Digital Equity, compiled evidence to help commissioners determine whether the merger was in the public interest.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

Michael was previously a reporter for Alliance News, a London-based business news service.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

That cannot come soon enough for Jose Rafael Mendoza, president of the Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

The industry trade group for hospice providers, the National Alliance for Care at Home, is against the change recommended by the GAO.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

“When the Taliban rolled in and kicked the Alliance out of Kabul, I actually danced on that street,” Rahim Khan said.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

Geography may offer an alternative route, but regional alliances can put that route at risk, too.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

The reshaping of alliances around the future European fighter is a key topic at Farnborough.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

“Together we will build creative experiences for our consumers across our destinations, platforms, and fan touchpoints,” Becca Vodnoy, Walt Disney Co. senior vice president of corporate alliances, said in the statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

In a patrilocal world, the circulation of women does not just organize reproduction; it also sets up alliances between groups.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 7, 2026

Soon after the organization was established, it formed important alliances with legendary women’s rights leaders Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and other women battling to gain the right to vote.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler