coalition
C1Formal, used in political, academic, and business contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A temporary alliance of distinct political parties, groups, or nations formed to achieve a common goal, often for governance or to address a specific issue.
Any temporary or strategic partnership between different organizations, companies, or even individuals working together towards a shared objective, not limited to politics.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Emphasizes temporariness and the distinct identities of the partners. It implies a union of convenience rather than a permanent merger. The term often suggests a negotiated arrangement with compromise.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Used similarly in both varieties, but in the UK it is the standard term for a government formed by multiple parties (e.g., Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition). In the US, while used, the term 'alliance' is also frequent in political discourse.
Connotations
In UK politics, strongly associated with formal power-sharing governments. In US politics, can imply a less formal, issue-based grouping. Can have a slightly negative connotation of expediency in both.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK political journalism and academic texts due to the parliamentary system where coalitions are more common than in the US presidential system.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
coalition of [parties/groups]coalition between [X] and [Y]coalition governmentin coalition withVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A coalition of the willing”
- “An uneasy coalition”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a strategic partnership between companies, e.g., 'The tech firms formed a coalition to develop a new industry standard.'
Academic
Used in political science, international relations, and sociology to describe formal and informal alliances between actors.
Everyday
Less common; might be used to describe parents forming a group to lobby a school or neighbours joining forces on a local issue.
Technical
In computer science/machine learning, can refer to 'coalitional game theory' where groups (coalitions) of players cooperate.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The minority parties may seek to coalition in order to gain influence.
- They are attempting to coalition around the issue of climate change.
American English
- The two advocacy groups coalitioned to lobby Congress.
- It's rare to see the verb form 'coalition' used in formal US writing.
adverb
British English
- This is not used.
American English
- This is not used.
adjective
British English
- The coalition agreement was published in full.
- Coalition talks are expected to last for days.
American English
- The coalition forces entered the region.
- Coalition building is a key skill in politics.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The two classes formed a coalition to ask for a later lunch break.
- Several countries are in a coalition to help people.
- The two smaller political parties created a coalition to win the election.
- A coalition of charities is raising money for the hospital.
- After the election, no party had a majority, so they had to negotiate a coalition government.
- The fragile coalition between the environmentalists and the farmers collapsed over the new policy.
- The grand coalition between the traditional rivals was fraught with ideological tension from the outset.
- An international coalition of researchers was assembled to tackle the pandemic, pooling data and resources across continents.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine COAL miners and electricians forming an ITION (petition) together for safer working conditions – a temporary alliance of different groups for a common cause.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICS/COOPERATION IS A STRUCTURE (a fragile/broad-based coalition), A JOURNEY (entering/leaving a coalition), or A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE (an uneasy coalition).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating as 'коалиция' for every context of 'alliance' – Russian 'коалиция' is even more strictly political. 'Coalition' has a wider business/activist use in English.
- Do not confuse with 'коллегия' (collegium) or 'кооперация' (cooperation).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'coalition' for permanent mergers (use 'merger', 'amalgamation').
- Pronouncing it as /koʊˈlɪʃ.ən/ (stress is on the third syllable, not the second).
- Using it as a synonym for 'team' (a team implies a single unit, not distinct groups allying).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'coalition' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, a coalition is typically a temporary or medium-term arrangement formed for a specific purpose, such as governing after an election or achieving a particular policy goal. The member parties/groups retain their separate identities.
'Alliance' is broader and can be more permanent (e.g., military alliance like NATO) or less formal. 'Coalition' strongly implies a structured, often negotiated, temporary partnership for a concrete objective, especially in politics.
Yes, but it is rare and considered informal or jargon ('to coalition with someone'). The more standard phrasing is 'to form a coalition with' or 'to enter into a coalition with'.
A government formed when no single political party wins an outright majority in a parliament. Two or more parties combine their seats to form a majority and govern together, usually based on a written agreement outlining shared policies.