coalition

American  

[koh-uh-lish-uhn] / ˌkoʊ əˈlɪʃ ən /

noun

• coalitions
  plural

1. a combination or alliance, especially a temporary one between persons, factions, states, etc.

   Synonyms:

   league, partnership

2. a union into one body or mass; fusion.

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coalition British  

/ ˌkəʊəˈlɪʃən /

noun

1. 1. an alliance or union between groups, factions, or parties, esp for some temporary and specific reason

   2. ( as modifier )

      a coalition government

2. a fusion or merging into one body or mass

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coalition Cultural  

1. An alliance of political groups formed to oppose a common foe or pursue a common goal.

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Discover More

In countries with many political parties, none of which can get a majority of the citizens' votes, the only way an effective government can be formed is by a coalition of parties. Such coalitions are often unstable.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• coalitioner
  noun
• coalitionist
  noun
• coalitional
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• coalitions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of coalition

1605–15; < Latin coalitiōn- (stem of coalitiō ), equivalent to coalit ( us ), past participle of coalēscere ( co- co- + ali-, past participle stem of alere to nourish + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion; see coalesce

Explanation

A coalition is a group of people who join together for a common cause, like a coalition you form with other skateboarders who want to convince your town to build a skate park. The noun coalition comes from the Latin word coalitiō, meaning "to grow together." Often, the people and groups that form coalitions have different backgrounds but come together because they share a goal. For example, parents, teachers, business owners, and city council members might form a coalition to build a teen center, just as nations that do not agree on all issues might form a coalition because they all want peace.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coalition coalitions

After Paramount suffered a bruising July hearing in its fight with a coalition of state attorneys general trying to block its $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

“Today’s action is an important step forward, and I welcome Meta’s decision to accept responsibility and to collaborate with the multistate coalition to protect kids who deserve better.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

German government proposals to include Coke Zero and other artificially-sweetened drinks in its new sugar tax fizzled out Wednesday after pushback within the ruling coalition and from businesses.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

The coalition of attorneys general, who also represent New York, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and Oregon, last month won a temporary restraining order that blocked Paramount from closing the deal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

He and Shana got word out to their coalition to come over for an emergency meeting.

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas

They defended the status quo against various liberation movements and labor coalitions, fighting to keep everything as it had always been in service of the people who most benefited from the old arrangement.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

This year the chief justice prevailed with different coalitions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

Similar business-backed coalitions are financing cultural-preservation programs, such as Carlos Molina’s Salsa Museum in the Workers Barrio.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

Local coalitions of neighbors are springing up in the most rural towns and counties as quiet, nature-filled lands are being replaced with loud, energy intensive data centers.

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026

These coalitions play a central part not only during overt struggles for the alpha position, but in almost all day-to-day activities.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari