schism

noun

ˈsi-zəm How to pronounce schism (audio)
Definition of schismnext
1
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony schism within the charitable organization was preventing it from achieving its goals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in split
the act or process of a whole separating into two or more parts or pieces the schism of the Christian church into the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of schism This is Kubrick’s modus operandi throughout the film, setting up scenes where furniture moves from shot to shot, wall decorations change, and there are further schisms between Ullman’s exposition and the reality that transpires. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026 The book follows this story for the critical eight years between 1527 and 1535, which led to the enduring schism that created the Church of England. — David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026 But schisms and heel digging are probably inevitable in such uncertain fields, Catling says. — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026 The schism led to Faye firing Sonko and dissolving his government before appointing new ministers. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for schism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for schism
  1. discord
  2. split
  3. strife
  4. dissolution
  5. friction
  6. breakup
  7. conflict
  8. division
Noun
  • Once the wicker creation proves far more extraordinary, discord and jealousy upset the fisherwoman’s quiet village.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Dolan was right that distractions can trip up a team, sowing just enough discord among its players to derail their chances at another title, and cut short their fans' chances at another joyous summer.
    — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of discord
Noun
  • If a split occurred, the black hole’s horizon — the boundary beyond which light cannot escape — would divide into two separate horizons.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The Brax Wink features a BlackBerry-style design with the front split between a 4-inch display and a full physical keyboard.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of split
Noun
  • The core elements—airy melodies, drug talk, copious ad-libs—are old hat, but frank tales of suburban ennui and romantic strife give the Minneapolis rapper’s latest album a refreshingly personal air.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • There have been reports of internal strife at the London bureau at CBS News over the tone of its Middle East coverage since Bari Weiss, a strong supporter of Israel, took over as the network’s editor in chief last year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • His departure, alongside that of Benny Gantz, effectively ended the national unity arrangement and precipitated the dissolution of the war cabinet.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition partners frequently call for the West Bank’s annexation and the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority in the territory.
    — Gerry Shih, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of dissolution
Noun
  • When there must be some interlude of friction or a character needs to be brought low, The Gilded Age’s preferred mechanism is a dinner, ideally a fancy one with a complicated guest list and a variety of logistical obstacles.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
  • All machines have their friction; and possibly this does enough good to counterbalance the evil.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of friction
Noun
  • Fifth-year cornerback Jaden Mickey made some big stops, including a pass breakup, while the defensive front produced four sacks for 37 yards and seven tackles for loss.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The incident demonstrated how quickly debris from a satellite breakup can disrupt operations in orbit.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of breakup
Noun
  • The vote, which had been scheduled for last week, was delayed after two days of deliberations because of growing wariness among Egyptians concerned about an intervention in Yemen's long-running conflict.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The risk of conflict is growing and the threat to the international economy is severe.
    — Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • The most notable competition in the division heads the other direction.
    — Sam McDowell October 25, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Since Baker Mayfield signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023, the Panthers have defeated their division rivals just once in the past seven meetings, including Carolina’s 43-13 blowout loss at home Sunday.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of division

Browse Nearby Words

scheming (out)
schism
schismatic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Schism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schism. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on schism

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about schism

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of wraith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All