bipartisanship
Americannoun
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an instance of members from traditionally opposed political parties agreeing to cooperate on an issue.
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the quality of being supported by members of two different political parties.
Explanation
Bipartisanship involves two political parties or factions working together to get things done. It can take a lot of skill to convince two parties that normally are rivals to work toward a common goal. The prefix bi- at the beginning of bipartisanship means that two things are involved. Drop the prefix and you have partisanship, very much the opposite in meaning. Partisanship involves supporting the views and policies of just one political party, no matter what. In contrast, bipartisanship involves compromise between political parties that often have opposing views. Bipartisanship is a relatively new word that reflects the growing importance of exploring ways to overcome strong political disagreements.
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.
And in Kansas, Adam Hamilton, a pastor who talks about bipartisanship, will take on Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in November.
From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2026
Throughout his career, Graham cultivated a reputation for his focus on issues like immigration reform, national security and criminal justice, including reaching across the aisle for more bipartisanship politics in his earlier years in office.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
At the Micron groundbreaking in January, Republican Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon celebrated the bipartisanship that allowed what he called a “red, white and blue” day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
The resounding vote in favour of the Epstein bill, 427-1, marks a rare moment of bipartisanship on Capitol Hill.
From BBC ● Nov. 18, 2025
We especially thank our colleagues on the Study Group, who have worked with us on these difficult issues in a spirit of generosity and bipartisanship.
From The Iraq Study Group Report by Iraq Study Group (U.S.)
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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.
