Coalition

/ˌkoʊəˈlɪʃən/intermediatenoun

Hung parliaments, pooled hostel cooler funds, and rainbow alliances all survive on this noun: separate streams growing into one ruling river.

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Meaning

Alliance forming a government.

Memory trick

COALESCE: separate streams growing (alescere) into one river.

Examples

1

The coalition completed its term.

2

The hostel coalition of three wings pooled money for a common cooler.

3

Fragile coalitions survive on weekly breakfast meetings and shared enemies.

Synonyms

allianceblocpartnershipfrontunioncombineconfederation

Antonyms

splitbreakupschismsecession

Etymology

From Latin coalescere "to grow together," from com- "together" + alescere "to grow." Separate parties growing into one ruling plant.

Usage Notes

Parliamentary math: coalition dharma, coalition era, rainbow coalition. Implies bargaining; no single partner rules alone.

Real-life contexts

1

Use in polity: "The coalition stitched a common program."

2

Use in history: "Wartime coalitions bury old rivalries."

3

Use in college: "A coalition of societies ran the fest."

Common Mistakes

Coalition is the alliance; collegium and cabinet are different bodies. "Coalition government" is standard; "coalition party" usually misleads.

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Quick Facts

Part of Speech

noun

Difficulty

intermediate

Monthly Searches

~43,000

Coalition: Meaning, Examples & How to Remember It | WordFlippin