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.
The Dalai Lama outlined a succession process that puts him and the religion even more at odds with Beijing, which has long accused him of being a separatist and insisted on exercising influence over Tibetan Buddhist leadership. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 2 July 2025 Khomeini declared jihad against Kurdish resistance groups, labeling them infidels, separatists and agents of Israel and the United States. Shukriya Bradost, The Conversation, 28 June 2025 Indian security forces have continued to battle separatists in recent years, though the Pahalgam attack marked the bloodiest of its kind against civilians in Kashmir in a quarter-century and the deadliest throughout the country since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025 The feminist separatists were overwhelmingly white and, like many white feminists of preceding generations, not all shared Dunbar-Ortiz’s commitment to racial justice. Hazlitt, 11 June 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

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Cite this Entry

“Separatist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/separatist. Accessed 15 Jul. 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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