Collocation Dictionary

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Common collocations with marriage in American Collocation

marriage noun

US /ˈmerɪdʒ/

unhappy

disastrous
loveless
stormy
tempestuous
troubled
unhappy

She is tired of being in a loveless marriage.

violent

abusive
violent

With more financial independence, women would not have to be trapped in a violent and abusive marriage.

ending in divorce

failed

Apart from his failed marriage, Maurice was relatively successful with women.

not producing children

childless

She was brought up by Tom and his second wife Laura, whose marriage was childless.

not real

sham

A woman who had set up sham marriages to help Indian men skip immigration procedures was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

happy

happy
perfect
stable
strong

We wish them well for the future and hope they enjoy a long and happy marriage.

between people of different faiths or races

inter-faith
interracial
mixed
mixed-faith
mixed-race

Judaism did not permit mixed marriages.

between gay people

gay
same-sex

In October 2004, the Spanish government approved a draft law to legalise same-sex marriage.

arranged by parents

arranged

She married for love at a time when arranged marriages were the norm.

when one partner does not want to be married

forced

A marriage which takes place without the permission of the two people involved is a forced marriage.

end a marriage

annul
dissolve
end
terminate

She appealed to the Pope to annul her marriage.

destroy a marriage

destroy
doom
ruin
wreck

His obsessive behaviour was wrecking his marriage.

save a marriage

save

In a last ditch attempt to save their marriage, they went to counselling.

consider marriage

contemplate
intend
talk about
think about

In the summer of 1928 Jim was contemplating marriage to a local girl.

propose marriage

propose

She has many admirers, including the wealthy Lord Augustus who proposes marriage to her.

make a marriage legal or official

consummate
legalize
solemnize

The marriage was consummated and on 7 January 1796 a daughter, Charlotte, was born to the couple.

ban a type of marriage

ban
forbid
prohibit

In 1950, Mao introduced the Marriage Reform Law which banned forced marriages.

recognize a type of marriage

recognize

He also criticised the government’s refusal to recognise same-sex marriages.

fail

break down
break up
collapse
crumble
disintegrate
end
fail
founder

When Billy was three, his parents’ marriage broke down and his father left.

survive or last

last
survive

My father had many affairs, but somehow his marriage survived.