schism

noun

ˈsi-zəm  ˈski- 

also ˈshi-;

among clergy usually

ˈsi- 

1

: division, separation

also : discord, disharmony

a schism between political parties

2

a

: formal division in or separation from a church or religious body

b

: the offense of promoting schism

Synonyms of schism

• discord
• strife
• friction
• conflict
• war
• discordance
• dissent
• discordancy
• warfare

Examples of schism in a Sentence

a schism between leading members of the party

The church was divided by schism.

Recent Examples on the Web

The schism would go on to shape the future of journalism from the newsletter economy all the way up to the highest echelons of Hollywood and television news after Weiss was appointed editor in chief of CBS News last year. — Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 2 Nov. 2026

Trump pointed to a schism in the United Methodist Church to criticize Hamilton. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026

Cornelius’s pontificate was complicated by a schism, caused by the self-appointment of the Roman priest Novatian as antipope (the second in papal history) and by the dispute over the church’s attitude toward Christian apostates. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

Swift was preternaturally avoidant of zealotry, with the obscure religious wars between the Lilliputians and the Blefscuans over how to crack an egg reminiscent of internecine Christian schisms concerning the real presence in the Eucharist. — Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English scisme, sisme, cisme "division in the church, dissension in belief, civil strife," borrowed from Anglo-French scisme, borrowed from Late Latin scisma, schisma "division of opinion, dissension in the church," borrowed from Greek schismat-, schísma "cleft, division, (New Testament) division of opinion," from schid-, stem of schízein "to split, separate" + -smat-, -sma, resultative noun suffix — more at shed entry 1

Note: As the spellings suggest, the Middle English and early Modern English pronunciation of this word was with initial [s] rather than [sk]. Hellenized spellings with initial sch- became general in the seventeenth century, though the old pronunciation with initial [s] has persisted until recently.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for schism

• abolitionism
• aldosteronism
• americanism
• anticommunism
• antisemitism
• antiterrorism
• bioterrorism
• colloquialism
• colonialism
• consequentialism
• contextualism
• conventionalism

Kids Definition

schism

noun

ˈsiz-əm  ˈskiz- 

1

a

: division sense 6, separation

b

: lack of harmony : discord

2

a

: division in or separation from a church or religious body

b

: the offense of promoting schism