secede

1 of 2

verb

se·​cede si-ˈsēd 

seceded; seceding

intransitive verb

: to withdraw from an organization (such as a religious communion or political party or federation)

seceder noun

seceder

2 of 2

noun

se·​ced·​er

-də(r)

plural -s

1

: one that secedes

2

usually capitalized : a member of the Secession Church of Scotland or any of its daughter churches

Examples of secede in a Sentence

Verb

South Carolina seceded from the Union in 1860.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The second book in Child’s series, Die Trying follows Jack Reacher as he and a politician’s daughter are abducted by a radical militia, who want to use her as leverage to secede from the United States. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2026

Amendment 3 is the most reckless gamble out of Tallahassee since the 1861 convention that voted for Florida to secede from the union. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

After eleven slaveholding states seceded to form the Confederacy, Republican lawmakers passed and Lincoln signed a bill that flouted Dred Scott by prohibiting slavery in the territories. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

In that time seven states seceded from the Union, while lame-duck Pres. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin secedere, from sed-, se- apart (from sed, se without) + cedere to go — more at suicide

First Known Use

Verb

1749, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for secede

• accede
• agreed
• airspeed
• alkyd
• bindweed
• chickweed
• concede
• decreed
• duckweed
• exceed
• flaxseed
• impede

Kids Definition

secede

verb

se·​cede si-ˈsēd 

seceded; seceding

: to withdraw from an organization (as a nation, church, or political party)