membership

American  

[mem-ber-ship] / ˈmɛm bərˌʃɪp /

noun

• memberships
  plural

1. the state of being a member, as of a society or club.

2. the status of a member.

3. the total number of members belonging to an organization, society, etc.

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membership British  

/ ˈmɛmbəˌʃɪp /

noun

1. the members of an organization collectively

2. the state of being a member

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• memberships
  plural

Etymology

Origin of membership

First recorded in 1640–50; member + -ship

Explanation

Use the noun membership to describe the people who together make up a group or organization. Your secret childhood club may have had a membership consisting only of you, your brother, and your best friend. Any official group has a membership, the people who belong to it. Your high school French club has a membership, and so does the United States Congress. You can also use the word to mean "the fact of being a member," like when you brag about your membership in Mensa, the organization for people with extremely high intelligence. The root of membership is the Latin word for body part or limb, membrum.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

membership memberships

When signing up for a gym membership, don’t just accept the first monthly price they give you.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

Iceland’s rejection could reinforce a view that membership “is attractive only to poorer and conflict-ridden countries, not to affluent European democracies,” Blockmans added.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

Asked if other countries including Egypt could join the pact, Fidan said it was "indeed possible" but stressed consultations were ongoing to determine conditions, procedures and standards for membership.

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

Frostadóttir, who had advocated for Iceland to negotiate with the EU, said her government won’t pursue membership during its four-year term, which ends in 2028.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

That’s one thing that hasn’t changed even after Maddie gave up her groundling membership and became one of the silk feathered hat people.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon

Depending on your situation, this could mean canceling high-priced memberships or unnecessary subscriptions — or making bigger moves, like selling a second car or downsizing your home.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

Next week’s Don’t Short Yourself is about how shoppers can negotiate the price of almost anything: furniture, gym memberships, even college tuition.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

Grocery bills, utility payments, security deposits, transportation, internet service, gym memberships and countless other expenses suddenly become explicit rather than bundled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Annual memberships range from $1,250 to $4,850, with additional fees per flight for private suites or communal lounges.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

A former president of the Ninety-Nines, Inc., International Organization of Women Pilots, she tracked everyone down through their memberships in the Ninety-Nines.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson

Related Words

• enrollment
• participation