separatist

noun

sep·​a·​rat·​ist ˈse-p(ə-)rə-tist How to pronounce separatist (audio)
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 adjective

Examples of separatist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pakistan claims those separatists are backed by Indian intelligence. Diaa Hadid, NPR, 7 May 2025 The long-simmering conflict in Kashmir, India, blew up last week, when Islamic Kashmir separatists killed 26 tourists and injured over a dozen others. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Apr. 2025 In these petitions, separatists provided numerous reasons why Maine should break off from Massachusetts. Made By History, Time, 7 Apr. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for separatist

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of separatist was in 1608

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Separatist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/separatist. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

separatist

noun
sep·​a·​rat·​ist ˈsep(-ə)-rət-əst How to pronounce separatist (audio)
: a person who favors separation (as from a church or party)
separatism
-rə-ˌtiz-əm
noun
separatist adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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