disunion
noun
dis·union
(ˌ)dis-ˈyü-nyən 
dish-
1
: the termination of union : separation
2
: disunity
Synonyms
Examples of disunion in a Sentence
in the 19th century the volatile issue of slavery resulted in the disunion of several Protestant denominations
Recent Examples on the Web
By this time, the founders had already witnessed firsthand the deadly centrifugal forces of disunion acting upon the Continental Congress.
—
Time, 3 July 2023
George Washington, John Adams, James Madison, and the rest accomplished these stunning feats not only in spite of the tactical advantages of the British army and navy, but also in spite of the overwhelming centrifugal forces of disunion and civil wars that were acting on them every day.
—Time, 3 July 2023
The Series is just one emblem of a larger state of disunion.
—David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2023
Sectarianism, in turn, instantly evokes an additional set of very different cautionary tales: Ireland, the Middle East and South Asia, regions where religious sectarianism led to dysfunctional government, violence, insurgency, civil war and even disunion or partition.
—New York Times, 19 Apr. 2021
The Baptists weren't the only large denomination to break over slavery in the two decades before the war (the Methodists, who were then the most populous Protestant body, went first), and those breaks accelerated the severance of social and political ties that made disunion plausible.
—Bonnie Kristian, The Week, 16 June 2021
But not every publicly expressed fear of disunion should be counted as evidence of a real and imminent threat.
—Eric Herschthal, The New Republic, 1 Sep. 2020
Over the next three years, the country descended into disunion, followed by civil war.
—David W. Blight Max-O-Matic, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2022
Johnson’s government now says this arrangement is tearing the kingdom apart, creating disunion and strife.
—William Booth, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2022
Time, 3 July 2023
George Washington, John Adams, James Madison, and the rest accomplished these stunning feats not only in spite of the tactical advantages of the British army and navy, but also in spite of the overwhelming centrifugal forces of disunion and civil wars that were acting on them every day.
—Time, 3 July 2023
The Series is just one emblem of a larger state of disunion.
—David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2023
Sectarianism, in turn, instantly evokes an additional set of very different cautionary tales: Ireland, the Middle East and South Asia, regions where religious sectarianism led to dysfunctional government, violence, insurgency, civil war and even disunion or partition.
—New York Times, 19 Apr. 2021
The Baptists weren't the only large denomination to break over slavery in the two decades before the war (the Methodists, who were then the most populous Protestant body, went first), and those breaks accelerated the severance of social and political ties that made disunion plausible.
—Bonnie Kristian, The Week, 16 June 2021
But not every publicly expressed fear of disunion should be counted as evidence of a real and imminent threat.
—Eric Herschthal, The New Republic, 1 Sep. 2020
Over the next three years, the country descended into disunion, followed by civil war.
—David W. Blight Max-O-Matic, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2022
Johnson’s government now says this arrangement is tearing the kingdom apart, creating disunion and strife.
—William Booth, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disunion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of disunion was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near disunion
Cite this Entry
“Disunion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disunion. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
disunion
noun
dis·union
dish-ˈü-nyən
(ˈ)dis-ˈyü-
: the ending of union : separation
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