partnership
Americannoun
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partnerships
plural
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the state or condition of being a partner; participation; association; joint interest.
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Law.
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the relation subsisting between partners.
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the contract creating this relation.
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an association of persons joined as partners in business.
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noun
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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
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the deed creating such a relationship
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the persons associated in such a relationship
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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
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 5
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for December 12–18, 2020
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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:
A West Sussex County Council spokesperson said it was "working in partnership with a wide range of community-based organisations" to deliver the new CRF objectives.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
SpaceX is using a new partnership with Nvidia to accelerate its plans for artificial-intelligence data centers in space — setting the stage for those to go into orbit as soon as next year.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
Fans benefit from a Walter partnership on a daily basis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
“Every partnership that comes in where I get money is going to the wedding,” Hege said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Krogh was to head the so-called Special Investigations Unit, working in partnership with David Young of Henry Kissinger’s staff.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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
Since taking office in March 2025, Carney has focused on diversifying economic partnerships to reduce Canada's reliance on the US market.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
The company, whose automated license readers document plate data as vehicles drive past, says it has partnerships with 5,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Bryson believes “it’s unlikely that Cerebras incorporated either deal into its initial guidance, meaning both partnerships should create some further room for upside in future quarters vs. prior management expectations.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
Mr. Lewis did call Hazel’s mom, and on Friday morning she drove Hazel to school and the three of them sat in his office while he spoke of referrals and evaluations and partnerships and time-outs.
From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu
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.
