partnership

partnership — noun

1. a relationship in which two people, groups, or organizations act as partners and

1.nounB2
Definition

a relationship in which two people, groups, or organizations act as partners and share work, risk, or benefits.

Example

The clinic works in partnership with local schools on health checks.

phrase: in partnership with

After months of talks, the airlines announced a new partnership.

Common collocations
  • in partnership with
  • partnership between A and B
  • form a partnership
  • lasting partnership
  • end a partnership
Synonyms
  • collaboration

    broader and often used for working together on one task or project

  • alliance

    more formal and often used for strategic or political links

  • cooperation

    wider in meaning and does not always suggest equal partner roles

  • association

    can mean a link between people or groups, but is less active than partnership

Antonyms
  • rivalry

    suggests competition instead of working toward a shared aim

Grammar Patterns

in partnership with + person/organization

partnership between A and B

form/build/end a partnership

Usage Note

Common after with or between to name the other partner. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense focuses on the relationship itself, not on a business organization.

Common Mistakes

The college has a partnership to the hospital.
The college has a partnership with the hospital.
This noun usually takes 'with' before the other partner.
The two shops are in partner.
The two shops are in partnership.
The fixed phrase is 'in partnership'.

2. a business that several people own together and that shares money made or lost a

2.nounB2
Definition

a business that several people own together and that shares money made or lost among them.

Example

The law office began as a partnership run by two sisters.

pattern: partnership run by + owners

Before expanding, the cafe changed from a partnership to a company.

contrast: partnership to company

Common collocations
  • family partnership
  • medical partnership
  • run a partnership
  • go into partnership
  • dissolve a partnership
Synonyms
  • business

    very broad and does not show the shared-ownership structure

  • firm

    a formal word for a business, especially in law or finance

  • practice

    fits professional businesses such as medical or legal ones

  • joint venture

    usually narrower and often created for one project rather than a whole business

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

a partnership run by + owners

change from a partnership to a company

go into partnership

Usage Note

Usually countable when you mean one business. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names the business form itself, not the general idea of working together.

Common Mistakes

They started partnership in 2020.
They started a partnership in 2020.
This business meaning is usually countable.
Her father is one of the partnership.
Her father is one of the partners in the partnership.
A partner is a person; a partnership is the business.

3. in cricket, two players batting together for the same side, or the runs they mak

3.nounC2
Definition

in cricket, two players batting together for the same side, or the runs they make before one is out.

Example

India lost its first wicket after a 95-run opening partnership.

collocation: opening partnership

The partnership ended when Patel hit the ball high and got out.

pattern: partnership ended when...

Common collocations
  • opening partnership
  • last-wicket partnership
  • 95-run partnership
  • build a partnership
  • break a partnership
Synonyms
  • batting pair

    describes the two players, but not as neatly the runs they add together

  • stand

    a cricket term often used for the runs or period shared by the two batters

  • opening stand

    only fits when the first two batters are batting together

Grammar Patterns

opening/last-wicket partnership

a 50-run partnership

build/break a partnership

Usage Note

Used in cricket reporting for either the two batters together or the runs they score as a pair. Numbers often come before it, as in 'a 95-run partnership'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Partnership suggests an ongoing relationship in which each side has a recognized role and often shares duty, risk, or profit. Collaboration is broader and can describe working together on one task, even for a short time. Cooperation is wider still and simply means helping each other, without the equal-status idea that partnership often carries. Alliance is more formal and often sounds strategic, especially in politics or business. Joint venture is narrower: it usually means a business arrangement created for a particular project. Use partnership when the relationship itself is central: The school has a partnership with the museum. Use collaboration when the focus is on one piece of shared work: The two artists collaborated on the poster.

partnership ↗collaboration ↗cooperation ↗alliance ↗joint venture

Common collocations

Nouns

  • business partnership
  • strategic partnership
  • family partnership

Phrases

  • form a partnership
  • work in partnership
  • go into partnership

Prepositions

  • partnership with
  • partnership between

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchAnglo-FrenchEnglish

Partnership is an English formation from partner and the suffix -ship. Partner entered English through Anglo-French from words linked to the idea of a part or share, so the history fits the modern sense of people sharing work, risk, or profit.