secession

noun

se·​ces·​sion si-ˈse-shən 

1

: withdrawal into privacy or solitude : retirement

2

: formal withdrawal from an organization

Examples of secession in a Sentence

the secession of the Southern states

Recent Examples on the Web

These secessions—each driven by a loss of faith in the scientific soundness of the CDC’s recommendations—seem designed to destroy the agency’s credibility. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025

The experience of secession, of war, of industrial slaughter and gallant sacrifice, of Black soldiery and humanity all reforged Lincoln into a stronger alloy. —Jack Sheehan september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025

What To Know Calls for secession have been growing since the 2020 election. —Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025

Obviously Texas was a Confederate state and sent tens of thousands of white men to fight for secession, but the idea that Texas politics and society were overwhelmingly secessionist has always bothered me. —Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin secession-, secessio, from secedere

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for secession

• accession
• aggression
• compression
• concession
• confession
• depression
• digression
• discretion
• expression
• impression
• obsession
• oppression

Kids Definition

secession

noun

se·​ces·​sion si-ˈsesh-ən 

: the act of seceding