partnership
Americannoun
-
partnerships
plural
-
the state or condition of being a partner; participation; association; joint interest.
-
Law.
-
the relation subsisting between partners.
-
the contract creating this relation.
-
an association of persons joined as partners in business.
-
noun
-
-
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
-
the deed creating such a relationship
-
the persons associated in such a relationship
-
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 5
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for December 12–18, 2020
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
“The allegation that Kelli manipulates or controls Jerry is false and deeply unfair. They share a loving and supportive partnership of more than 25 years,” a spokesman for Gerald and Kelli O. Ford said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Operating the Hollywood Bowl is a partnership between the L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
It became clear that Merck’s 2016 cancer vaccine partnership with Moderna paid off when the companies announced last week that the treatment had prevented the spread of melanoma.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
Atkinson and Tongue added 42 runs on Friday morning to take their 10th-wicket partnership to 47.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Something about the partnership with Root bolstered him.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
At a news conference this week touting major crime declines in the state, Bonta said partnerships with both local and federal law enforcement remain a vital part of public safety in the state.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Those partnerships include “Big Break,” a U.S. reality-TV competition series on the Golf Channel that features Good Good, as well as the Good Good Championship, a new PGA Tour event sponsored by Good Good Golf.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
In the partnership of 150 with Jordan Cox at Headingley, Joe Root has now registered 50-plus run partnerships with 45 distinct partners in Test, the joint-most - tied with Shivnarine Chanderpaul from West Indies.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Her wedding featured brand partnerships such as L’Oréal for her setting spray and Essie for her bridal nails.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Our top-down, goal-directed system wants to keep in touch, make connections, form relationships, forge partnerships.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
