membership

noun

mem·​ber·​ship ˈmem-bər-ˌship 

plural memberships

1

: the state or status of being a member

2

: the body of members

an organization with a large membership

3

mathematics : the relation between an element of a set (see set entry 2 sense 21) or class and the set or class itself compare inclusion sense 3a

Examples of membership in a Sentence

What is the cost of a one-year membership?

Membership in the club doubled last year.

clubs that are hoping to increase their membership

The club has a large membership.

clubs that are hoping to increase their memberships

Recent Examples on the Web

In recent years, the Academy has expanded its membership, overhauled its voting processes, and begun embracing the global community of film. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025

Sephora automatically awards you the entry-level membership Insider status, which earns you one point back on all Sephora purchases. —Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Today, collector car marketplace Hemmings launched the Hemmings Motor Club, an exclusive membership program. —Kristin Shaw, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Costco is often viewed by analysts as a key stock to ride out periods of market volatility and even a recession, due to its strong membership base and consumer loyalty . —Brian Evans, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for membership

• authorship
• battleship
• censorship
• chairmanship
• chieftainship
• comradeship
• consulship
• craftsmanship
• dealership
• draftsmanship
• fellowship
• fingertip

Kids Definition

membership

noun

mem·​ber·​ship ˈmem-bər-ˌship 

1

: the state or status of being a member

2

: all the members of an organization