as in rebel
a person who thinks that a nation, state, etc., should separate from another and become independent
A growing group of secessionists are pushing for the independence of the region.
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Recent Examples of secessionist
The southern Philippines once drew small numbers of foreign militants aligned with the Islamic State group or al-Qaeda to train in a secessionist conflict involving minority Muslims in the largely Catholic nation.
—
CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups and ethnic clashes.
—Fortune, 26 Dec. 2025
The peace agreed to at Dayton left Bosnia, or Bosnia and Herzegovina as it is known in full, intact as a country but divided into two entities, Republika Srpska – a secessionist entity proclaimed by ethnonationalist Serbs in January 1992 – and the Bosnian Federation.
—Adis Maksić, The Conversation, 19 Nov. 2025
But the Declaration was also a secessionist document, establishing revolution as a right.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for secessionist
CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups and ethnic clashes.
—Fortune, 26 Dec. 2025
The peace agreed to at Dayton left Bosnia, or Bosnia and Herzegovina as it is known in full, intact as a country but divided into two entities, Republika Srpska – a secessionist entity proclaimed by ethnonationalist Serbs in January 1992 – and the Bosnian Federation.
—Adis Maksić, The Conversation, 19 Nov. 2025
But the Declaration was also a secessionist document, establishing revolution as a right.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for secessionist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secessionist
Noun
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Mahamat Idriss Déby, 42, seized power in Chad after his father, Idriss Déby, was killed fighting rebels in 2021, before winning elections in 2024.—
Farai Mutsaka,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
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The group has been responsible for current President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s security and for fighting rebel groups.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Christianity, then, is not a separatist, otherworldly faith.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
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Since militants linked to al Qaeda and the northern separatist Tuareg rebels launched simultaneous attacks on April 25 — the most audacious in over a decade — Mali has plunged deeper into chaos.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Noun
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In 2022, French forces departed Mali as insurgents made incursions into the capital, Bamako.—
Kaitlyn Rabe,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
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But now the onetime insurgent sits atop a sprawling establishment.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
Noun
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More recently, the Department of Justice charged the Southern Poverty Law Center — a civil rights nonprofit accused by Republicans of targeting conservatives in its work tracking extremists — with defrauding donors through payments to informants.—
James Pollard,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
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Also on Wednesday, FBI Director Kash Patel warned that the World Cup matches could be targets for extremists.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Secessionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secessionist. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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