partisanship
One-sided political allegiance
Partisanship is strong, often uncritical allegiance to a party or cause—especially a political party.
The word usually carries negative connotations, suggesting loyalty that overrides independent judgment: Partisanship has made compromise impossible.
In a two-party system, partisanship implies seeing every issue through the lens of party affiliation rather than merit.
Preformed unfavorable opinion
- one-sidednessImbalanced viewpoint or treatment
- favoritismPreferential treatment of some
- unfairnessUnjust or biased treatment
- sectarianismPrejudiced loyalty to subgroups
subjectivity · slant · spin · distortion · selective reporting · echo chamber · confirmation bias · tribal thinking
Separation into opposing extremes
- discordLack of agreement
- schismFormal organizational fracture
- riftCrack or estrangement
- disunityAbsence of accord
fragmentation · gridlock · deadlock · tribalism · culture war · wedge issue · red state · blue state
Organized effort toward goal
- gerrymanderingManipulating electoral boundaries strategically
- lobbyistPaid legislative influencer
- PACCampaign contribution pooler
- filibusterDelaying tactic through speech
obstruction · stonewalling · negative campaigning · mudslinging · smear · spin doctor · operative · strategist
Intense driving devotion
- passionIntense emotional drive
- ardorIntense emotional warmth
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
- intensityStrength or force level
vehemence · conviction · fire · militancy · stridency · true believer · ideologue · firebrand
Belief one's culture superior
- jingoismBellicose extreme patriotism
- chauvinismMilitant devotion to group
- nativismPreference for native-born citizens
- exceptionalismBelief in unique superiority
supremacism · flag-waving · patriotic fervor · Eurocentrism · Afrocentrism · protectionism · insularity · parochialism
Loyalty owed to authority
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- solidarityUnity among allies
- bloc votingCoordinated group electoral action
rank-and-file · base · stalwart · die-hard · true believer · standard-bearer · ticket · straight ticket
prejudice
Preformed unfavorable opinion
- one-sidednessImbalanced viewpoint or treatment
- favoritismPreferential treatment of some
- unfairnessUnjust or biased treatment
sectarianism · subjectivity · slant · spin · distortion · selective reporting · echo chamber · confirmation bias · tribal thinking · motivated reasoning
polarization
Separation into opposing extremes
disunity · fragmentation · gridlock · deadlock · tribalism · culture war · wedge issue · red state · blue state · sorting
campaign
Organized effort toward goal
- gerrymanderingManipulating electoral boundaries strategically
- lobbyistPaid legislative influencer
- PACCampaign contribution pooler
filibuster · obstruction · stonewalling · negative campaigning · mudslinging · smear · spin doctor · operative · strategist · pundit
zeal
Intense driving devotion
- passionIntense emotional drive
- ardorIntense emotional warmth
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
intensity · vehemence · conviction · fire · militancy · stridency · true believer · ideologue · firebrand · crusade
ethnocentrism
Belief one's culture superior
- jingoismBellicose extreme patriotism
- chauvinismMilitant devotion to group
- nativismPreference for native-born citizens
exceptionalism · supremacism · flag-waving · patriotic fervor · Eurocentrism · Afrocentrism · protectionism · insularity · parochialism · in-group
allegiance
Loyalty owed to authority
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- solidarityUnity among allies
bloc voting · rank-and-file · base · stalwart · die-hard · true believer · standard-bearer · ticket · straight ticket · whip
- politicsdemocracy, campaigning, campaigns, democrats, bill
- public affairspolitics, election, campaign, polling, poll
- political sciencepolitical science, political theory, political behavior, political economy, political institutions
- divisivenessdiscord, strife, polarization, factionalism, tribalism
- fanaticismfanaticism, zealotry, zealot, fanatic, extremism
- media biasmedia bias, bias, editorial bias, slant, one-sided
partisanshipimpartiality
Freedom from prejudice
neutrality · objectivity · nonpartisanship · unbiasedness · fairness
partisanshippatriotism
Devotion to one's homeland
nationalism · civic-mindedness · statesmanship · universalism · cosmopolitanism
partisanshipdetachment
Separation or emotional uninvolvement
dispassion · indifference · disinterest · aloofness · apathy