partisanship

American  

[pahr-tuh-zuhn-ship, -suhn] / ˈpɑr tə zənˌʃɪp, -sən /

Rarely partisanry

noun

1. support of a person, group, party, or cause, especially when seen as biased or emotional: I found myself hoping that the astronomical community would leave Pluto’s planetary status as it was and began following the debate, although my partisanship didn’t extend to letter writing.

   Regardless of the panelists’ political leanings or partisanship, all political topics will be considered for discussion.

   I found myself hoping that the astronomical community would leave Pluto’s planetary status as it was and began following the debate, although my partisanship didn’t extend to letter writing.

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Etymology

Origin of partisanship

partisan ¹ ( def. ) + -ship ( def. )

Explanation

Your partisanship is your tendency to support a particular group, cause, or viewpoint over another. While partisanship is a good quality to have if you're campaigning or rallying for a political candidate — because you believe so strongly in the person — there are some times when partisanship isn't appropriate. A judge, for example, should be neutral and not take sides, and might be accused of partisanship if she seems to favor one cause or political party. The word comes from the early Italian partezan or partigiano, "member of a faction," with its root of parte, "part or party."

Example Sentences

When Kinsky's number went up, it was left to his Spurs' team-mates and even Atletico Madrid's fans, who pushed their passion and partisanship to one side to offer sympathetic applause, to console him.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

She joined the congressional team after the 2010 elections and has spent more than a decade tracking the growth of partisanship and political fragmentation in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

However, I was struck by Gov. Cox of Utah, who talked about political violence in terms that transcended partisanship, but he felt like one of the few leaders to do so.

From Slate • Sep. 12, 2025

Leno’s sage advice is to pretend partisanship doesn’t exist, citing his decades-long relationship with a famous peer.

From Salon • Jul. 31, 2025

Abigail’s accusations, on the other hand, were private and personal, came from someone whom he respected as an intimate friend, and went beyond mere matters of political partisanship to questions of honor and trust.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• bigotry
• favoritism
• intolerance
• prejudice
• tendency
• unfairness