League vs. Union: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on September 26, 2023
A League is typically a group of sports teams or an alliance for shared goals, while a Union is an organization of workers promoting their interests or a state of unity.
Key Differences
League and Union both describe groupings or organizations, but they have distinct contexts and connotations. A League, in one of its primary meanings, refers to a collection of sports teams that compete against one another. A Union, on the other hand, usually represents an organization of workers formed to protect their rights and interests.
Historically, League has also been used to describe alliances among states or nations, formed for mutual benefit. For instance, the League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization established after World War I. Meanwhile, Union has political connotations, representing a state of being united, as seen in the "Union" during the American Civil War.
In social and recreational contexts, a League might refer to a group sharing a common interest, like a bowling league. In contrast, a Union in broader contexts goes beyond labor rights, symbolizing unity or a joint arrangement, like a marriage union.
It's crucial to understand the context in which League and Union are used. While both can refer to organizations or groupings, the word League often conveys competition or an alliance, whereas Union suggests solidarity, unity, or amalgamation.
In summary, while League and Union can overlap in meaning, especially when referencing alliances, League is often associated with competition or mutual goals, while Union typically signifies unity or collective representation.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Context
Collection of sports teams or an alliance.
Organization of workers or a state of unity.
Connotations
Competition, alliance.
Solidarity, unity, representation.
Historical Usage
Groups like the League of Nations.
The "Union" in the American Civil War or labor unions.
Common Phrases
"Join a league", "sports league".
"Join a union", "marital union".
General Meaning
A group with shared interests or goals.
A state of being united or organization for shared rights.
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League and Union Definitions
League
A collection of sports teams competing against each other.
The football League starts next month.
Union
An organization of workers formed to promote their rights.
The workers joined the Union to fight for better wages.
League
An association of individuals or groups with a common purpose.
They formed a League to promote community welfare.
Union
The act of marrying or the state of being married.
Their Union was celebrated by both families.
League
A class or category in terms of quality or rank.
He is in a different League when it comes to chess skills.
Union
The act of uniting or the state of being united.
League
An old unit of distance.
It's about twenty Leagues away.
Union
A combination so formed, especially an alliance or confederation of people, parties, or political entities for mutual interest or benefit.
League
An association of states, organizations, or individuals for common action; an alliance.
Union
(Mathematics) A set, every member of which is an element of one or another of two or more given sets.
League
(Sports) An association of teams or clubs that compete chiefly among themselves. Also called loop1.
Union
Agreement or harmony resulting from the uniting of individuals; concord.
League
A class or level of competition
The ski jump was out of his league.
Union
The state of matrimony; marriage
"The element that was to make possible such a union was trust in each other's love" (Kate Chopin).
League
A unit of distance equal to 3.0 statute miles (4.8 kilometers).
Union
Sexual intercourse.
League
Any of various other units of about the same length.
Union
A combination of parishes for joint administration of relief for the poor in Great Britain.
League
A square league.
Union
A workhouse maintained by such a union.
League
To come together in or as if in a league.
Union
A labor union.
League
To bring together in or as if in a league.
Union
A coupling device for connecting parts, such as pipes or rods.
League
A group or association of cooperating members.
The League of Nations
Union
A device on a flag or ensign, occupying the upper inner corner or the entire field, that signifies the union of two or more sovereignties.
League
(sports) An organization of sports teams which play against one another for a championship.
My favorite sports organizations are the National Football League and the American League in baseball.
Union
An organization at a college or university that provides facilities for recreation; a student union.
League
Ellipsis of rugby league
Are you going to watch the league tonight?
Union
A building housing such facilities.
League
(negative polarity) A class or type of people or things that are evenly matched or on the same level.
Forget about dating him; he's out of your league.
We're not even in the same league.
Union
Union The United States of America regarded as a national unit, especially during the Civil War.
League
A prefecture-level administrative unit in Inner Mongolia (Chinese: 盟).
Union
Union Of, relating to, or loyal to the United States of America during the Civil War
A Union soldier.
League
(military) An alliance or coalition.
Union
Of or relating to a labor union or labor union organizing
The union movement.
Union negotiations.
League
(measurement) The distance that a person can walk in one hour, commonly taken to be approximately three English miles (about five kilometers).
Union
(countable) The act of uniting or joining two or more things into one.
League
A stone erected near a public road to mark the distance of a league.
Union
(countable) The state of being united or joined; a state of unity or harmony.
League
(ambitransitive) To form an association; to unite in a league or confederacy; to combine for mutual support.
Union
(countable) That which is united, or made one; something formed by a combination or coalition of parts or members; a confederation; a consolidated body; a league.
League
A measure of length or distance, varying in different countries from about 2.4 to 4.6 English statute miles of 5,280 feet each, and used (as a land measure) chiefly on the continent of Europe, and in the Spanish parts of America. The marine league of England and the United States is equal to three marine, or geographical, miles of 6080 feet each.
Union
(countable) A trade union; a workers' union.
League
A stone erected near a public road to mark the distance of a league.
Union
(countable) An association of students at a university for social and/or political purposes; also in some cases a debating body.
League
An alliance or combination of two or more nations, parties, organizations, or persons, for the accomplishment of a purpose which requires a continued course of action, as for mutual defense, or for furtherance of commercial, religious, or political interests, etc.
And let there be'Twixt us and them no league, nor amity.
Union
(countable) A joint or other connection uniting parts of machinery, such as pipes.
League
An association of sports teams that establishes rules of play, decides questions of membership in the league, and organizes matches between the member teams. In some cases a sports league is called a conference, as in the National Football Conference.
Union
The set containing all of the elements of two or more sets.
League
To unite in a league or confederacy; to combine for mutual support; to confederate.
Union
(countable) The act or state of marriage.
League
To join in a league; to cause to combine for a joint purpose; to combine; to unite; as, common interests will league heterogeneous elements.
Union
Sexual intercourse.
League
An association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members
Union
A data structure that can store any of various types of item, but only one at a time.
League
An association of states or organizations or individuals for common action
Union
A large, high-quality pearl.
League
An obsolete unit of distance of variable length (usually 3 miles)
Union
(historical) An affiliation of several parishes for joint support and management of their poor; also the jointly-owned workhouse.
League
Unite to form a league
Union
To combine sets using the union operation.
League
An alliance for mutual benefit.
The two nations formed a defensive League.
Union
Belonging to, represented by, or otherwise pertaining to a labour union.
Actors have to be union to get work here.
Union
The act of uniting or joining two or more things into one, or the state of being united or joined; junction; coalition; combination.
Union
Agreement and conjunction of mind, spirit, will, affections, or the like; harmony; concord.
Union
That which is united, or made one; something formed by a combination or coalition of parts or members; a confederation; a consolidated body; a league; as, the weavers have formed a union; trades unions have become very numerous; the United States of America are often called the Union.
Union
A textile fabric composed of two or more materials, as cotton, silk, wool, etc., woven together.
Union
A large, fine pearl.
If they [pearls] be white, great, round, smooth, and weighty . . . our dainties and delicates here at Rome . . . call them unions, as a man would say "singular," and by themselves alone.
In the cup an union shall he throw,Richer than that which four successive kingsIn Denmark's crown have worn.
Union
A device emblematic of union, used on a national flag or ensign, sometimes, as in the military standard of Great Britain, covering the whole field; sometimes, as in the flag of the United States, and the English naval and marine flag, occupying the upper inner corner, the rest of the flag being called the fly. Also, a flag having such a device; especially, the flag of Great Britain.
Union
A joint or other connection uniting parts of machinery, or the like, as the elastic pipe of a tender connecting it with the feed pipe of a locomotive engine; especially, a pipe fitting for connecting pipes, or pipes and fittings, in such a way as to facilitate disconnection.
Union
A cask suspended on trunnions, in which fermentation is carried on.
One kingdom, joy, and union without end.
[Man] is to . . . begetLike of his like, his image multiplied.In unity defective; which requiresCollateral love, and dearest amity.
Union
An organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer;
You have to join the union in order to get a job
Union
The United States (especially the northern states during the American Civil War);
He has visited every state in the Union
Lee hoped to detach Maryland from the Union
The North's superior resources turned the scale
Union
The act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes;
The casual couplings of adolescents
The mating of some species occurs only in the spring
Union
The state of being joined or united or linked;
There is strength in union
Union
The state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce);
A long and happy marriage
God bless this union
Union
Healing process involving the growing together of the edges of a wound or the growing together of broken bones
Union
A political unit formed from previously independent people or organizations;
The Soviet Union
Union
A set containing all and only the members of two or more given sets;
Let C be the union of the sets A and B
Union
The occurrence of a uniting of separate parts;
Lightning produced an unusual union of the metals
Union
A device on a national flag emblematic of the union of two or more sovereignties (typically in the upper inner corner)
Union
The act of making or becoming a single unit;
The union of opposing factions
He looked forward to the unification of his family for the holidays
Union
Being of or having to do with the northern United States and those loyal to the Union during the Civil War;
Union soldiers
Federal forces
A Federal infantryman
Union
Of trade unions;
The union movement
Union negotiations
A union-shop clause in the contract
Union
The act or state of being combined into one.
The Union of these two companies created a powerful entity.
Union
A political unit resulting from joining together states or territories.
The United States of America is a Union of fifty states.
Union
A state of harmony or agreement.
Their Union was marked by mutual respect.
FAQs
Is every group of workers a Union?
No, only organized groups working for labor rights and interests are unions.
Can Union also signify marriage?
Yes, "union" can refer to the act of marrying or the state of being married.
Can League mean a unit of measurement?
Historically, yes. A league was used as a distance measure, especially at sea.
Can a League be global?
Yes, like the "League of Nations", it can encompass global members.
Is joining a Union always about wages?
No, unions also focus on working conditions, benefits, and other rights.
Can anyone form a League?
Theoretically, yes, if they have a shared interest or goal.
Is League often used in everyday language?
While context-dependent, it's frequently used, especially in sports and alliances.
Does a League always refer to sports?
No, while commonly associated with sports, it can also refer to alliances or groups with shared interests.
Is every sports League professional?
No, leagues can be amateur, recreational, or professional.
Are all Unions politically motivated?
Not all, but some unions do engage in political activities for their members' interests.
Are all members of a Union workers?
Typically, but a union can also represent professionals or other groups.
Can a League be for a short duration?
Yes, leagues can be temporary, like for a specific tournament.
Can a Union have non-worker members?
Yes, some unions represent professionals, artists, or other groups.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
