separatist

noun

sep·​a·​rat·​ist ˈse-p(ə-)rə-tist 

ˈse-pə-ˌrā-

: one that favors separatism: such as

a

capitalized : one of a group of 16th and 17th century English Protestants preferring to separate from rather than to reform the Church of England

b

: an advocate of independence or autonomy for a part of a political unit (such as a nation)

c

: an advocate of racial or cultural separation

separatist adjective

separatistic

ˌse-p(ə-)rə-ˈti-stik 

adjective

Examples of separatist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet, in declining to comment on the future of Crimea, a region of Ukraine that Russian separatists seized in 2014 prior to the start of the current war, Rutte noted that the Soviet Union had annexed three Baltic states during World War II until its collapse in 1991. —Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025

The long-simmering conflict in Kashmir, India, blew up on Tuesday, when Islamic Kashmir separatists killed 26 tourists and injured over a dozen others. —Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2025

Complaining that adherents of the Traditional Latin Mass were fostering a separatist attitude, Francis sought to prohibit them from celebrating in parishes that also practice the post–Vatican II liturgy. —The Editors, National Review, 21 Apr. 2025

These were followed by the left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Quebec separatist Bloc Quebecois. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing separatist

• anti-separatist

Kids Definition

separatist

noun

sep·​a·​rat·​ist ˈsep(-ə)-rət-əst 

: a person who favors separation (as from a church or party)

separatism

-rə-ˌtiz-əm

noun

separatist adjective