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• solidarity
  solidarity

  noun

  union or fellowship arising from common responsibilities and interests, as between members of a group or between classes, peoples, etc..
• Solidarity
  Solidarity

  noun

  a Polish organization of independent trade unions founded in 1980: outlawed by the government of Poland in 1982.

solidarity

¹ American  

[sol-i-dar-i-tee] / ˌsɒl ɪˈdær ɪ ti /

noun

solidarities plural

1. union or fellowship arising from common responsibilities and interests, as between members of a group or between classes, peoples, etc..

   to promote solidarity among union members.

   Synonyms:

   community, cooperation, unity

2. community of feelings, purposes, etc.

   Synonyms:

   unanimity

3. community of responsibilities and interests.

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Solidarity ² American  

[sol-i-dar-i-tee] / ˌsɒl ɪˈdær ɪ ti /

noun

1. a Polish organization of independent trade unions founded in 1980: outlawed by the government of Poland in 1982.

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solidarity ¹ British  

/ ˌsɒlɪˈdærɪtɪ /

noun

1. unity of interests, sympathies, etc, as among members of the same class

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Solidarity ² British  

/ ˌsɒlɪˈdærɪtɪ /

noun

1. the organization of free trade unions in Poland: recognized in 1980; outlawed in 1982; legalized and led the new noncommunist government in 1989

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Solidarity Cultural  

1. A labor union in Poland, independent of the government and of the Polish Communist party, that grew to a membership of several million in the early 1980s. Led by Lech Walesa, Solidarity pushed for many reforms and played a major part in the ouster of communism in Poland and its replacement by a multiparty, democratic government. The movement's influence began to decline in the 1990s.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsolidarity
  noun
• unsolidarity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• solidarities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of solidarity

First recorded in 1840–50; from French solidarité, equivalent to solidaire solidary + -ité -ity

Explanation

When you see a group of citizens protesting something on the news, marching in a group, holding signs, and chanting slogans, you know they are in solidarity with each other, or united behind a common goal or purpose. Any time you express support of a group or the people in it, you're showing solidarity with them. The word is used most often to describe a sense of unity with a political group, a group of striking workers, or people who have been deprived of their rights in some way. You might show your own solidarity by signing a petition, joining in a protest, or simply flashing a thumbs up.

Example Sentences

Havana Docks was left without legal recourse for the seizure, until Congress passed the 1996 Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, which recognized some potential claims for companies in Havana Docks’ situation.

From Slate • Jul. 1, 2026

In Gdansk, she also met Poland's ex-president Lech Walesa, who led the 1980s Solidarity movement that provoked the downfall of the Communist regime in Warsaw.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

Congress passed the law at issue in the case—the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act—in 1996 after Cuba shot down American civilian airplanes over international waters.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

This essay is adapted from the author's book "Song for a Hard-Hit People: A Memoir of Antiracist Solidarity from a Coal Miner's Daughter," published by Haymarket Books.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

Lifting his hand, the President gave a signal; the chorus broke out into the third Solidarity Hymn.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

Related Words

• agreement
• consensus
• harmony
• support
• teamwork
• unanimity
• unification