separation of church and state

noun phrase

: the act or state of keeping government and religion separate from each other

Examples of separation of church and state in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For decades, the Supreme Court upheld the separation of church and state. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Nov. 2026

President Andrew Jackson refused to proclaim one, citing the separation of church and state, so states and churches held their own. — Jim Downs, STAT, 30 Oct. 2026

The Roberts court has redefined the separation of church and state. — Julian Mark, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2026

France, a secular nation where the separation of church and state is enshrined in a 1905 law, has witnessed a steady decline in affiliation to the Catholic Church during the post-war era. — Joshua McElwee, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for separation of church and state

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Legal Definition

separation of church and state

: the separation of religion and government mandated under the establishment clause and the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution that forbids governmental establishment or preference of a religion and that preserves religious freedom from governmental intrusion