allegiance

noun

al·​le·​giance ə-ˈlē-jən(t)s How to pronounce allegiance (audio)
1
a
: the obligation of a feudal vassal to his liege lord
b(1)
: the fidelity owed by a subject or citizen to a sovereign or government
I pledge allegiance to my country.
(2)
: the obligation of an alien to the government under which the alien resides
2
: devotion or loyalty to a person, group, or cause
allegiance to a political party
allegiant adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for allegiance

fidelity, allegiance, fealty, loyalty, devotion, piety mean faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty.

fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty.

marital fidelity

allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country.

pledging allegiance

fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow.

fealty to the truth

loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray.

valued the loyalty of his friends

devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication.

a painter's devotion to her art

piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental.

filial piety

Examples of allegiance in a Sentence

He owes allegiance to them for all the help they have given him. Both candidates are working hard to convince voters to switch allegiances.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Feeling abandoned, fans returned the favor, switching allegiances to the Lakers to remain with Doncic. Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025 Some videos show workers raising their right fists and pledging allegiance before a Chinese flag, evidence of the ideological training that experts say is often mandatory for Uyghur workers on such job programs. David Pierson, New York Times, 29 May 2025 But the character is more of a riff on the real-life oil baron Calouste Gulbenkian, the world’s richest man at the time of his death in 1955 and a template for today’s globe-roaming magnates who pledge allegiance only to their own ambitions. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025 In Cape Town’s ghettos, street gangs distinguish between themselves via rival allegiances to East Coast and West Coast rap. Jonny Steinberg, Time, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for allegiance

Word History

Etymology

Middle English aligeaunce, borrowed from Anglo-French alleggeance, alter. (by addition of the verbal prefix a-, going back to Latin ad- ad-) of ligeance, from lige, liege liege entry 1 + -ance -ance

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of allegiance was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Allegiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allegiance. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

allegiance

noun
al·​le·​giance ə-ˈlē-jən(t)s How to pronounce allegiance (audio)
1
: loyalty and obedience owed to one's country or government
2
: devotion or loyalty to a person, group, or cause

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