league
B1Neutral - common in formal, informal, journalistic, and sports contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A collection of people, organizations, or countries that unite for a common purpose or mutual benefit, often in a formal association.
1. A level of quality, ability, or achievement (e.g., 'in a different league'). 2. A unit of distance, approximately three miles, now archaic. 3. (Verb, archaic) To form or join in a league.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word typically implies an organized, often hierarchical, grouping with shared interests. The metaphorical sense ('a different league') relates to classification by standard or rank.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use 'league' identically for sports and metaphorical extensions. The archaic distance measurement is equally obsolete.
Connotations
Identical connotations of association, competition, and rank.
Frequency
Equally common. Slightly higher frequency in UK media due to prominence of football (soccer) leagues.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be in a/the leagueform a league with [someone]be in a different league from/to [someone/something]join the league of [distinguished people]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in a league of one's own”
- “out of one's league”
- “be in the same league”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to trade associations or consortia (e.g., 'the league of luxury brands').
Academic
Used in history/political science for alliances (e.g., 'the Hanseatic League').
Everyday
Primarily for sports competitions and metaphorical comparisons of quality.
Technical
In sports administration, denotes a specific organized competition with a schedule.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The city-states leagued together for mutual defence.
- (Archaic) They were leagued against the common enemy.
American English
- The small businesses leagued to negotiate better rates.
- (Archaic) The factions leagued to overthrow the governor.
adverb
British English
- No adverbial form.
American English
- No adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjectival form. Use 'league' attributively (e.g., league match, league rules).
American English
- No standard adjectival form. Use 'league' attributively (e.g., league game, league championship).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Manchester United plays in a football league.
- The children formed a league to protect their secret club.
- She's a good pianist, but she's not in the same league as a professional.
- Our local team topped the league this season.
- The two companies are in league to develop the new technology.
- As a novelist, he is in a league of his own.
- The historic League of Nations was a precursor to the UN.
- Their research is so advanced it's in a different league altogether.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a sports LEAGUE where teams are TIED together (the 'LEA' sounds like 'LEAf' - as in pages of a rulebook they all agree to).
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION IS PHYSICAL BINDING (from Latin 'ligare' = to bind). QUALITY IS HIERARCHICAL CLASSIFICATION (being in a 'higher league').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'лига' only in sports context; for 'out of one's league' use 'не по силам/возможностям', not a direct translation of 'лига'.
- The distance meaning ('3 мили') is obsolete and should not be used in modern contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'league' for a single, non-group entity (e.g., 'He is a league' is wrong).
- Confusing 'be in a league with' (to collaborate) with 'be in the same league as' (to be comparable in quality).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common modern meaning of 'league'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its most frequent modern use is for sports competitions, it is used for any association (e.g., 'the League of Women Voters') and metaphorically for levels of quality.
It means someone or something is too good, too expensive, or of a much higher standard than one can aspire to or compete with, often used in dating or social contexts.
Yes, but it is now archaic ('to league together'). In modern English, we use phrases like 'form an alliance' or 'band together' instead.
A league is typically a long-term competition where all teams play each other over a season (e.g., a league table). A tournament is a shorter knockout or group-stage contest for a single trophy (e.g., a cup tournament).
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