bipartisan
4 synonyms and 2 antonyms for bipartisan, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Supported by or made up of members of two political parties, especially ones that normally oppose each other.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
cross-party
two-party
bipartizan
Antonyms
partisan
one-sided
How to use bipartisan
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
bipartisan support
bipartisan agreement
bipartisan bill
bipartisan commission
Neutral, and especially frequent in American political reporting.
Etymology
Formed from bi- meaning two and partisan, a supporter of a party or cause.
Full origin of bipartisan →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between bipartisan and nonpartisan?
Bipartisan means two opposing parties have both backed something, so party politics is present but shared. Nonpartisan means no party allegiance is involved at all, as with an independent election commission. A bipartisan panel has members from both sides; a nonpartisan one is meant to have no side.
Can something be bipartisan if only a few members of the other party support it?
Technically yes, and politicians often claim bipartisan status on the strength of one or two votes from across the aisle. Critics call this token bipartisanship, since the word implies genuine support from both parties rather than a handful of defectors.
