secularism

1 of 3

noun (1)

sec·​u·​lar·​ism ˈse-kyə-lə-ˌri-zəm 

: indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations

secularist

ˈse-kyə-lə-rist 

noun

secularist adjective

or less commonly secularistic

ˌse-kyə-lə-ˈri-stik 

secularist

2 of 3

noun (2)

sec·​u·​lar·​ist -rə̇st 

plural -s

: one who advocates secularism

the overemphasis by secularists on the scientific

—J. L. Teller

secularist

3 of 3

adjective

"

variants or secularistic

¦⸗⸗⸗¦ristik 

-tēk

: of, relating to, or advocating secularism

every philosophy of life is either religious or secularist

—Walter Moberly

the secularist basis of humanism

that we not transfer our loyalties to hidden secularist presuppositions

—J. A. Pike

Examples of secularism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Loftis, played by Matthew Rhys, is a figure of quietly fanatical secularism and non-ghost-ism. — James Parker, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

The secularism of Nolan’s film thus carries a genuine moral logic. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

The landmark Basilica of Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart) in Paris has long been perceived as a symbol of Catholic resistance to secularism amid France's revolutionary turbulence. — ABC News, 10 June 2026

Members of the Illuminati, a movement that started in Germany in 1776, promoted Enlightenment values and ideas, including logic, secularism and education. — Derek Arnold, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1851, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for secularism

• activism
• albinism
• altruism
• aneurism
• animism
• aphorism
• atomism
• barbarism
• bolshevism
• botulism
• brahmanism
• calvinism

Kids Definition

secularism

noun

sec·​u·​lar·​ism ˈsek-yə-lə-ˌriz-əm 

: the belief that religion and religious considerations should be ignored

secularist

-rəst 

noun

secularist adjective

also secularistic

ˌsek-yə-lə-ˈris-tik