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

Since coming out eight years ago as the only openly nonbelieving member of Congress, the San Rafael Democrat has embarked on a crusade to uphold the constitutional separation of church and state. —Alexei Koseff, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Mar. 2026

Baptists who argue for strict separation of church and state have done so for several reasons. —Christopher Schelin, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2026

Experts have previously told USA TODAY the high court has increasingly prioritized the free exercise of religion over concerns about the separation of church and state in recent years. —Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026

That means repealing private school voucher programs, protecting the separation of church and state, and keeping public funds in public institutions. —Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 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