loyalty oath

noun

: a usually mandatory oath affirming the loyalty of its taker (as to a sovereign, government, or party principles)
ruled the Genevese … with the help of loyalty oaths and the gibbetTimes Literary Supplement
the loyalty oath will be abandoned at the next Democratic conventionNewsweek
especially : an oath often required of public employees or applicants for public employment in the U.S. typically affirming that the signer upholds the U.S. or state constitutions and is not knowingly a member of any of a number of organizations held to be subversive

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Cite this Entry

“Loyalty oath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loyalty%20oath. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

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