partnership
Americannoun
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partnerships
plural
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the state or condition of being a partner; participation; association; joint interest.
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Law.
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the relation subsisting between partners.
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the contract creating this relation.
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an association of persons joined as partners in business.
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noun
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a contractual relationship between two or more persons carrying on a joint business venture with a view to profit, each incurring liability for losses and the right to share in the profits
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the deed creating such a relationship
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the persons associated in such a relationship
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the state or condition of being a partner
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of partnership
Explanation
What do Lewis and Clark, Bonnie and Clyde, and Ben and Jerry have in common? They all formed partnerships — cooperative relationships where they worked as a team to reach a goal, whether it was robbing banks or inventing Cherry Garcia. It’s easy to spot partner hidden inside partnership. That should clue you in to the fact the word is all about the deal sealed between two or more people, groups, or even countries that agree to throw their lot in together to achieve something both want. A partnership can be a legal business relationship sealed by a contract or a casual handshake-driven agreement between friends. A marriage is a partnership. So is a corporate merger.
Vocabulary lists containing partnership
Economics
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 5
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for December 12–18, 2020
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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:
In that proceeding, Verizon pledged to “further California’s public policy goals of diverse supply chains and workforces, including a $10 million partnership with the California State University system,” the PUC said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
Jefferies analyst Simon Fitzgerald notes CLPC’s assets under management now total around 2.6 trillion yuan and the combined annualized partnership return on investment rose to 16%, from 9%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
The group also controls the tourism company Gaviota, which owns dozens of hotels, sometimes in partnership with international hotel chains, as well as marinas, restaurants, taxi services and car-rental companies.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
The partnership was finally broken when Salt was caught in the deep off Josh Tongue from the 83rd ball of the innings.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
When we looked at beef ranching, we learned how grasses and herbivores formed a partnership over millions of years of evolution.
From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan
The company went public in 2009, with a more than $430 million valuation and partnerships with more than 10,000 restaurants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Sandisk CEO David Goeckeler said in a statement that the company had established its data-center business “as a key growth pillar” and deepened partnerships with customers in the fiscal year that just ended.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Chief Executive Lisa Su has secured multiyear partnerships to supply chips to OpenAI, Meta and Anthropic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
However, UFC was able to recoup some money through sponsorships, media exposure and other partnerships.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
With more instruments and better instruments, with strengthened partnerships, and with new technology from software to satellites, the story of Mount St. Helens erupting right now would be very different than in 1980.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
