Unionism nounUnionism noun
UnionismUnionism noun [uncountable] 
the principles of those people in Northern Ireland, mainly Protestants, who want Northern Ireland to remain as part of the UK. There are several political parties that support these principles, including the ulster unionists and the democratic unionist party. → RepublicanismUnionism nounUnionism noun
UnionistU‧nion‧ist /ˈjuːnjənɪst/ noun [countable] ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
word sets- And, by rooting out abuses, they actually helped the interests of ordinary Trade Unionists.
- Even assaults on the Unionists over alleged cases of discrimination could rebound.
- This was the most respectable strain of Unionist opposition to the coalition.
- When Lloyd George became prime minister in December 1916 he was backed by the Unionists in a coalition government.
WORD SETS► Groupings
Collocationsagitate, verbagitation, nounagitator, nounbipartisan, adjectivebipartite, adjectivebloc, nounBolshevik, nouncapitalism, nouncentrist, adjectivecoalition, nouncommie, nouncommunism, nouncommunist, nouncommunist, adjectiveCon, confederacy, nounconfederate, nounconfederation, nouncongress, nounconservatism, nounDem., disloyal, adjectivedissident, noundivide, verbdivisive, adjectivefascism, nounfascist, nounfederal, adjectivefederate, verbfederation, nounfront, nounginger group, nounhegemony, nounheterodox, adjectiveIndependent, nouninfighting, nouninterest group, nounIRA, nounIron Curtain, the, Lab, Labour, nounleftie, nounleftist, adjectiveleft-of-centre, adjectiveleft-wing, adjectivelefty, nounLib Dem, nounLiberal, nounLiberal Democrats, nounLiberal Party, loyalist, nounLuddite, nounmachine, nounmajority leader, nounminority leader, nounmoderate, adjectivemoderate, nounmonarchist, nounmovement, nounnationalism, nounnationalist, adjectivenationalist, nounNazi, nounneutral, adjectivenon-partisan, adjectivepalace revolution, nounparamilitary, adjectivepartisan, adjectivepartisan, nounparty, nounparty political, adjectiveparty politics, nounpinko, nounpro-, prefixpro-choice, adjectiveR, rabble-rousing, nounradical, nounrally, nounreactionary, adjectiverealign, verbrebel, nounrebellion, nounrebellious, adjectivered, adjectivered, nounrepublican, nounrevolt, nounrevolt, verbrevolutionary, adjectiverevolutionary, nounrightist, adjectiveright-of-centre, adjectiveright-wing, adjectiveroyalist, nounseparatist, nounspecial interest group, nounsplinter group, nounsplit, verbsubcommittee, nounsubversion, nounsuffragette, nounsympathizer, nounsympathy, nountendency, nounTory, nounTrotskyite, nountrue-blue, adjectiveUnionist, nounuprising, nounWhig, nounwing, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► conservative
a member of a political party that wants Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom—Unionism noun [uncountable]· The Conservative and Unionist party will fight the next general election as the party of the Union.· It is a pledge that only the Conservative and Unionist Party can give.· Although he had been nominated as a conservative by Protestant Unionists within the constituency, he had quickly become an O'Neill supporter.
► democratic· Some Democratic Unionists do precisely this by, for example, listing their active involvement with the Orders on their election literature.· As a footnote to the Assembly and Convention periods, it is worth making two points about the Democratic Unionists.· Hon. Members from the Democratic Unionist party are constantly asking me that question.
► liberal· The Liberal Unionists were admitted to the Carlton Club and a longstanding source of tension was eradicated.· Politically Haslam was prominent in the Liberal Unionist cause.· Very few Unionists were Nonconformists and most of these had come into the party from the Liberal Unionist side.· All his colleagues both Liberal and Unionist, urged him to resign as it was the only solution to the difficulty.
► official· Most of the Official Unionist members at Westminster had remained close to the Faulknerites.· Vanguard had little organization in East Belfast and the Official Unionists gave very little assistance.· Paisley had supported him again once he had broken with the Official Unionists.· Only those who move to the Official Unionists have continued to win elections.
► protestant· Many Protestant Unionists also had doubts about the new party.· Other Protestant Unionists were fielded against liberal O'Neillites.· At the next elections to the Council, Wylie continued his protest by standing as a Protestant Unionist and he was elected.· Although he had been nominated as a conservative by Protestant Unionists within the constituency, he had quickly become an O'Neill supporter.· The two planned by-elections gave the Protestant Unionists the opportunity they needed to maintain the momentum of their electoral challenge.
NOUN► leader· Ulster Unionist leader Jim Molyneaux is billed to speak at two conference fringe meetings.· The Unionist leader then went immediately to see Lloyd George, with whom he had conferred before his visit to the Palace.
► party· Secondly, the Ulster Unionist party felt that supplies of natural gas should be obtained for Northern Ireland.· However, support for the Unionist Party was neither total nor uncritical.· Harry West was elected leader of the Unionist party on 22 January, 1974.· Paisley asserted that, had he wanted to destroy the Unionist Party, he would have fielded candidates in all the constituencies.· In December they picketed the Guildhall and the local Unionist Party headquarters, and called on the unemployed to become more militant.· Almost all Protestants voted for the Unionist Party and Catholics either voted for nationalists or abstained.
► ulster· The result provoked deep concern within the Ulster Unionists, long riven with divisions.· The ball is firmly in the court of the Ulster Unionists.