nonpartisan
Americanadjective
-
not supporting or controlled by a political party, special interest group, or the like.
- Synonyms:
- disinterested
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of nonpartisan
First recorded in 1880–85; non- + partisan 1
Explanation
Nonpartisan words and actions don't show allegiance to any political party. They're politically neutral. In the United States’ political system, it often seems like politicians only do what's best for their party: the Democrats or Republicans. Politicians are partisan when they act in favor of their party. To behave in a nonpartisan way is to put politics aside. A nonpartisan bill wouldn't be good just for one party: it would be good for the whole country. Politicians who are nonpartisan stop worrying about elections for a minute and get some things done.
Vocabulary lists containing nonpartisan
One Nation, Under Vocabulary: Political Parlance
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Just Mercy
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Civics II
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“This isn’t about the 2020 election, this is about the 2026 and 2028 elections,” said David Becker, executive director of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Election Innovation and Research.
From Salon • Jun. 12, 2026
California held its nonpartisan primary last week, and one of the most closely watched contests was the Los Angeles mayoral race.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
“We’re trying to keep people calm,” said Tracy Hernandez, chief executive of New California Coalition, a nonpartisan group that works on policy solutions.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
There’s also a decent nonpartisan argument that the Ninth Circuit, which covers nine states and about 20% of Americans, is unwieldy and should be split into two.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
The nonpartisan fellowship also gave me the chance to learn from the other fellows, an impressively diverse and talented group from all over the country.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
