Word
allegiance
Phoneticsal·le·giance, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈɫidʒəns/
UK/ɐlˈiːdʒəns/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a person's loyalty or support for a leader, a country, or a group.
n. the loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause.
Examples
“The soldiers swore an oath of allegiance to their country.”
“In many modern democracies, citizens do not have to prove their allegiance to a specific political party to vote.”
“The shifting geopolitical landscape forced smaller nations to reconsider their traditional allegiance to the former empire, seeking instead to form new regional alliances for economic security.”
Examples
simple
“The soldiers swore an oath of allegiance to their country.”
contextual
“In many modern democracies, citizens do not have to prove their allegiance to a specific political party to vote.”
complex
“The shifting geopolitical landscape forced smaller nations to reconsider their traditional allegiance to the former empire, seeking instead to form new regional alliances for economic security.”
Usage
Often used with the verb 'swear' or 'pledge'; typically takes the preposition 'to'.
Pitfall
his allegiance for the king
his allegiance to the king
The noun 'allegiance' almost always takes the preposition 'to' rather than 'for'.
Real-World Examples
“A group of state governors switched party allegiance, which had a particularly devastating effect.” “Prosecutors say the Albany woman had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, and wanted to bomb the statehouse to kill lawmakers.” “This man told us that when the Russians invaded, his family had stayed, not through any political or national allegiance but because Donetsk was their home.” “FA’s public stance clarifies the level of Australia’s allegiance to Infantino, even if it leaves them as a minor player in the groundswell against the Fifa president.” Etymology
From Middle English alegiaunce, from Anglo-Norman alegaunce (“loyalty of a liege-servant to one's lord”), variant of Old French ligeance, from lige (“vassal, liegeman”). More at liege.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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