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Synonyms

partisan

1 American  
[pahr-tuh-zuhn, -suhn, pahr-tuh-zan] / ˈpɑr tə zən, -sən, ˌpɑr təˈzæn /
Sometimes partizan

noun

  1. an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, especially a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance.

    Antonyms:
    opponent

  2. Military. a member of a party of light or irregular troops engaged in harassing an enemy, especially a member of a guerrilla band engaged in fighting or sabotage against an occupying army.

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of partisans; partial to a specific party, person, etc..

    partisan politics.
    Synonyms:
    prejudiced, biased

  2. of, relating to, or carried on by military partisans or guerrillas.

partisan 2 American  
[pahr-tuh-zuhn, -suhn] / ˈpɑr tə zən, -sən /
Also partizan

noun

  1. a shafted weapon of the 16th and 17th centuries, having as a head a long spear blade with a pair of curved lobes at the base.

partisan 1 British  
/ ˈpɑːtɪˌzæn, ˌpɑːtɪˈzæn /

noun

  1. an adherent or devotee of a cause, party, etc

    1. a member of an armed resistance group within occupied territory, esp in Italy or the Balkans in World War II

    2. ( as modifier )

      partisan forces
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a partisan

  2. relating to or excessively devoted to one party, faction, etc; one-sided

    partisan control
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
partisan 2 British  
/ ˈpɑːtɪzən /

noun

  1. a spear or pike with two opposing axe blades or spikes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See follower.

Other Word Forms

  • partisanry noun
  • partisanship noun

Etymology

Origin of partisan1

First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French, from Upper Italian parteźan (Tuscan partigiano ), equivalent to part(e) “faction, part” ( part ) + -eźan (from unattested Vulgar Latin -ēs- adjective suffix of place ( -ese ) + Latin -iānus adjective suffix ( -ian )

Origin of partisan2

1550–60; < Middle French partizane < Upper Italian parteźana, probably by ellipsis from (unattested) arma parteźana “weapon borne by members of a faction”; partisan 1

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.

How will the rest of us know if the AI we use is partisan?

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

This isn’t a partisan issue; it’s about training future businesspeople to draw their own conclusions from available data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Thursday's meeting at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, in front of loud partisan support for the hosts, should be mouth-watering.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Because fewer people turn out for special elections, they’re considered an early predictor of partisan enthusiasm heading into regularly scheduled elections.

From Salon • Mar. 1, 2026

To make matters worse, Larry Bosley, the principal who had been such a partisan for theater, had already moved on.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

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.