league

[ leeg ]

/ lig /

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See synonyms for: league / leagued on Thesaurus.com

noun

a covenant or compact made between persons, parties, states, etc., for the promotion or maintenance of common interests or for mutual assistance or service.

the aggregation of persons, parties, states, etc., associated in such a covenant or compact; confederacy.

an association of individuals having a common goal.

Sports. a group of athletic teams organized to promote mutual interests and to compete chiefly among themselves: a bowling league for ages 12–18;a tri-county community softball league.

Sports.

a major league: He played in both leagues, with four different teams, but he’ll always be remembered most as a Cincinnati Red.
a minor league: During her tenure as general manager of the league in Florida, eight of her players were promoted to the majors.

group; class; category: As a pianist he just simply isn't in your league.

verb (used with or without object), leagued, lea·guing.

to unite in a league; combine. Some unlikely political bedfellows leagued together to get the bill passed.People are judged, fairly or not, by the company that they keep, and the people they league themselves with.

OTHER WORDS FOR league

2 combination, coalition.

See synonyms for league on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about league

in league, working together, often secretly or for a harmful purpose; united: By putting yourself in league with corrupt and ruthless leaders, you will end up paying in the long run.

Origin of league

First recorded in 1425–75; from French ligue, from Italian liga, lega, from legare, from Latin ligāre “to tie, bind”

synonym study for league

1. See alliance.

Words nearby league

leafstalk, leaf through, leaf trace, leaf warbler, leafy, league, League City, league football, League of Nations, League of Women Voters, leaguer

Other definitions for league (2 of 2)

league²

[ leeg ]

/ lig /

noun

a unit of distance, varying at different periods and in different countries: in English-speaking countries usually estimated roughly at 3 miles (4.8 kilometers).

a square league, as a unit of land measure, estimated roughly at 4,428 acres (1,791.9 hectares).

Origin of league

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lege, leghe, leuge, from Old French legue, from Late Latin leuga, leuca, a Gaulish unit of distance equal to 1.5 Roman miles, apparently from Gaulish; (compare Breton leó, leu, lev “league”)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use league in a sentence

Maya Moore, one of the most decorated champions in the history of the WNBA, went as far as to leave the league last year to successfully help overturn a prisoner’s conviction.
NBA players are perfectly positioned to lead a strike|Max Lockie|August 27, 2020|Quartz
He said this time is different because it’s the whole league, rather than one team, weighing the decision.
Athletes, from the NBA to tennis stars, are striking to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake|kdunn6|August 27, 2020|Fortune
The Milwaukee Bucks, of all the teams in all the leagues, might seem like an odd place to find the spark for such a historic strike, but they’re not — particularly for a protest about racial justice.
Why A Strike For Racial Justice Started With The Milwaukee Bucks And The NBA|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 27, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
She leads the league in assist percentage for the second year in a row, while shooting 50-40-90 going into Tuesday night’s games.
There’s No WNBA All-Star Game This Year, But We Picked The Rosters Anyway|Howard Megdal|August 26, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

With each such situation, the league has been working out the kinks of its new system.
A robot referee can really keep its ‘eye’ on the ball|Kathryn Hulick|August 20, 2020|Science News For Students
But as an American creating a new brand here, and living the daily life of the souk, he seems to be in a league of his own.
The Photographer Who Gave Up Manhattan for Marrakech|Liza Foreman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League issued a statement deploring the state GOP for its failure to censure Duke.
The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise|Jason Berry|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This initiative had the support of all 22 members of the Arab League, which in and of itself is remarkable.
In the Middle East, the Two-State Solution Is Dead|Dean Obeidallah|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I spoke to the League of Women Voters, a pretty liberal group... I still went and spoke to them.
No. 3 Republican Admits Talking to White Supremacist Conference|Tim Mak|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And as far as security at the screenings goes, League says his theaters have taken the necessary precautions.
The Inside Story of How Sony’s ‘The Interview’ Finally Made It to Theaters|Marlow Stern|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We were still one league and a half from the island when the twilight ended and night came on.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
The solemn league and covenant burned by the common hangman at London, and afterwards throughout the country.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Another such case is found in the account of the league between Joshua and the princes of the congregation, and the Gibeonites.
The Ordinance of Covenanting|John Cunningham
Looked at in its proper light, the Corn-law League is nothing but an abominable conspiracy against labour.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
The League Oracle admits that "a repeal would injure the farmer, but not so much as he fears."
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various

British Dictionary definitions for league (1 of 2)

league¹

/ (liːɡ) /

noun

an association or union of persons, nations, etc, formed to promote the interests of its members

an association of sporting clubs that organizes matches between member teams of a similar standard

a class, category, or levelhe is not in the same league

in league working or planning together (with)

(modifier) of, involving, or belonging to a leaguea league game; a league table

verb leagues, leaguing or leagued

to form or be formed into a league

Word Origin for league

C15: from Old French ligue, from Italian liga, ultimately from Latin ligāre to bind

British Dictionary definitions for league (2 of 2)

league²

/ (liːɡ) /

noun

an obsolete unit of distance of varying length. It is commonly equal to 3 miles

Word Origin for league

C14 leuge, from Late Latin leuga, leuca, of Celtic origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with league

league

see big league; in league with; in the same league.

league

OTHER WORDS FOR league

Idioms about league

Origin of league

synonym study for league

Words nearby league

Other definitions for league (2 of 2)

Origin of league

Words related to league

How to use league in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for league (1 of 2)

Word Origin for league

British Dictionary definitions for league (2 of 2)

Word Origin for league

Other Idioms and Phrases with league