separatist

noun

sep·a·rat·ist | \ ˈse-p(ə-)rə-tist,

ˈse-pə-ˌrā-\

Definition of separatist

: 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

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Examples of separatist in a Sentence

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Other armed groups taking part in the chaotic civil war, including southern separatists and local militias, will not be taking part in this week’s talks. — Brian Rohan, The Seattle Times, "Expectations low as Yemen’s warring parties meet for talks," 4 Dec. 2018 Human rights groups have accused both the government and separatists of abuses including torture and the burning of homes. — Fox News, "Women protest abuses in Cameroon Anglophone separatist fight," 7 Sep. 2018 Chechnya, a predominantly Muslim region in southern Russia, was devastated by wars between separatists and Russian forces. — Hemza Hendawi, chicagotribune.com, "Reports: Salah considering retirement from Egypt due to Chechnya controversy," 25 June 2018 But the coming months could be difficult for Sanchez to navigate, with a minority Socialist government needing to please Basque regionalists, Catalan separatists and anti-austerity parties in order to pass legislation in Parliament. — Aritz Parra, BostonGlobe.com, "Spain’s government is poised to fall; Socialists set to take the helm," 31 May 2018 Arab separatists in the region claimed the attack and Iranian officials have blamed them for the assault. — Nasser Karimi, Fox News, "Iran video threatens missile strikes on UAE, Saudi Arabia," 25 Sep. 2018 But returned in 2014 after Russia seized Crimea and backed armed separatists in eastern Ukraine, causing President Barack Obama to also pressure NATO allies to increase their defense spending. — W.j. Hennigan, Time, "President Trump Says NATO Allies Owe the U.S. Money. He's Wrong," 11 July 2018 Also, an attack by Arab separatists Saturday on a military parade in the country's southwest killed at least 25 people. — Jon Gambrell, Fox News, "Iran's politicians under pressure, 40 years after revolution," 24 Sep. 2018 And last year when protests by separatists turned violent, the president was in Switzerland. — New York Times, "In Troubled Cameroon, U.S. Envoy Is Accused of Election Meddling," 12 July 2018

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