membership: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral (used across all registers)
Quick answer
What does “membership” mean?
The state of being a member of a particular group, organization, or club.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The state of being a member of a particular group, organization, or club.
The members of a group considered collectively; the total number of members; the condition of belonging, affiliation, or participation; a subscription to a service or organization.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor spelling differences in compounds (e.g., 'membership card' vs. 'membership card'). No significant usage differences.
Connotations
Identical connotations of affiliation, belonging, and subscription.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “membership” in a Sentence
membership of [organisation] (UK-pref)membership in [organisation] (US-pref)membership to [organisation] (less common)membership for [person/entity]membership with [organisation]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “membership” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They decided to membership the new recruits formally.
American English
- The platform allows you to membership multiple accounts.
adjective
British English
- The membership committee meets quarterly.
American English
- She showed her membership card at the door.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Referring to subscription-based models, loyalty programmes, or professional associations (e.g., 'Our premium membership includes priority support').
Academic
Referring to scholarly societies, institutional affiliations, or research groups (e.g., 'Her membership of the Royal Society').
Everyday
Referring to clubs, gyms, libraries, or online communities (e.g., 'I need to renew my gym membership').
Technical
In set theory or computing, the property of an element belonging to a set (e.g., 'Check the membership of the value in the array').
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “membership”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “membership”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “membership”
- Using 'membership' as a countable noun for a person (incorrect: 'He is a membership'; correct: 'He is a member').
- Using wrong preposition: 'membership at the club' is less standard than 'membership of/in the club'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily uncountable (e.g., 'Membership is growing'). It can be countable when referring to types or instances (e.g., 'The club offers two memberships: basic and premium').
'Member' is a person (or entity) belonging to a group. 'Membership' is the state of being a member or the collective body of members.
'Membership of' is more common in British English. 'Membership in' is more common in American English. Both are correct.
Yes, in contexts like 'The union's membership has fallen to 5,000.' Here it means the collective body of members or the total count.
The state of being a member of a particular group, organization, or club.
Membership is usually neutral (used across all registers) in register.
Membership: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmembəʃɪp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmembərʃɪp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The club has opened its membership.”
- “A membership has its privileges.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a MEMBER on a SHIP. To be on that ship, you need a MEMBER-SHIP ticket.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORGANISATIONS ARE CONTAINERS (being 'in' a club), BELONGING IS POSSESSION (having membership).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST common preposition after 'membership'?