sectarian

sec·tar·i·an | \ sek-ˈter-ē-ən

How to pronounce sectarian (audio)

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Definition of sectarian

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of a sect or sectarian

2 : limited in character or scope : parochial

sectarian

Definition of sectarian (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an adherent of a sect

2 : a narrow or bigoted person

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Examples of sectarian in a Sentence

Adjective The country was split along sectarian lines. there are people on both the left and the right who have staked out unyielding sectarian positions in this debate Noun charged that the work of Congress has been stymied by sectarians who are indifferent to reason and intolerant of compromise

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective An open border is crucial to the regional economy and underpins the peace process that ended decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. — Washington Post, "Johnson denies lying to queen, wins Brexit court case," 12 Sep. 2019 In 2004, at the height of Iraq's sectarian violence, 143 people were killed in near simultaneous suicide and other bombings at shrines in Baghdad and Karbala during the Ashoura procession. — Qassim Abdul-zahra And Zeina Karam, chicagotribune.com, "Officials: At least 31 Iraqi pilgrims die in stampede during holiday," 10 Sep. 2019 In 2004, at the height of Iraq’s sectarian violence, 143 people were killed in near simultaneous suicide and other bombings at shrines in Baghdad and Karbala during the Ashoura procession. — BostonGlobe.com, "Afdhal al-Shami, a shrine official, denied that there was a collapse or any cracks in the walkway. ‘‘It was a stampede that led to this incident,’’ he said.," 11 Sep. 2019 The lawsuit, originally launched by two Carroll County citizens, argued the sectarian prayers led by the 59th Board of Commissioners were unconstitutional. — Jon Kelvey, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Judge signs Carroll County prayer settlement, bringing lawsuit to a close," 10 Sep. 2019 After the Syrian government killed and imprisoned Arab Spring protesters, the country split into factions and sectarian violence broke out. — Erin Blakemore, National Geographic, "What was the Arab Spring and how did it spread?," 29 Mar. 2019 Fighting -- along ethnic and sectarian lines -- has wracked CAR since 2013. — Tim Lister, CNN, "The Central African Republic faces a Syria-sized crisis," 11 Sep. 2019 Ethnic and sectarian enmity, fomented and backed by the Serbian leader, Slobodan Milošević, was unleashed in terrible waves of killing, rape, and starvation. — Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, "The Moral Logic of Humanitarian Intervention," 9 Sep. 2019 The second leg of the first-round meeting with the Gibraltarians ended in a comfortable 6-0 win to Rangers, but the occasion was marred by sectarian chanting from a section of the club's supporters. — SI.com, "Rangers Hit With Partial Stadium Closure After Sectarian Chants in Europa League Clash," 23 Aug. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Quite the contrary, the image of the cross makes the war memorial sectarian. — The Washington Post, The Mercury News, "SCOTUS: Cross honoring military can remain on public land," 20 June 2019 Quite the contrary, the image of the cross makes the war memorial sectarian. — Robert Barnes, Anchorage Daily News, "Supreme Court rules that giant cross honoring military dead can remain on public land," 20 June 2019 Lebanon’s unique sectarian make up and place in the region make its politics about local issues like jobs, infrastructure, and garbage collection as well as about regional rivalries and alliances. — Ben Hubbard, BostonGlobe.com, "Elections in Lebanon boost Hezbollah’s clout," 7 May 2018 And so, there was the odd spectacle of the Irish Times religion reporter, Patsy McGarry, ringing in the 2016 with an editorial suggesting that Rising leaders Patrick Pearse and James Connolly were poisonous Catholic sectarians. — Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, "The Next Lost Cause," 1 Nov. 2017 As a result, Sunni sectarians across the region concluded that Obama’s United States was on the side of the Shia. — Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, "Trump Complies Perfectly With the Saudi Line," 21 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sectarian.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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3 Nov 2019

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The first known use of sectarian was in 1649

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