secessionist

noun

Definition of secessionistnext
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.

Related Words

Relevance

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 secessionist If nothing is done, the secessionists may achieve success simply for lack of opposition. — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026 Analysts sympathetic to Riyadh say Saudi policy is to defend state sovereignty and regional order, accusing Abu Dhabi of empowering secessionists to maintain influence in failing states. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 19 Jan. 2026 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 The southern Philippines once drew small numbers of foreign militants aligned with ISIS or al Qaeda to train in a secessionist conflict involving minority Muslims in the largely Catholic nation. — CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for secessionist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secessionist
  1. rebel
  2. separatist
  3. insurgent
  4. extremist
Noun
  • Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry rejected similar Sudanese accusations in a May 5 statement, calling them baseless, and accused Sudan of supporting rebels in its northern Tigray region.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • In Colombia’s rural Guaviare region, poor ranchers eke out a living in obscurity, surrounded by armed rebels who traffic cocaine.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebel
Noun
  • The district elected a Western Canada Concept separatist in a 1982 provincial by-election.
    — Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The alleged plot targeting Pannun unfolded at the same time that Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another prominent Sikh separatist and friend of Pannun, was gunned down and killed in June 2023 by assassins outside his gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.
    — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of separatist
Noun
  • From Georgia, South Carolina and Texas in the South to Ohio, Kansas and Iowa in the Midwest, insurgent Democrats not only won but did so with significant margins -- with notable shifts in key demographic groups and voting blocs.
    — Elizabeth Schreier, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Kiros' primary win was part of a wave of leftwing insurgent victories in the spring and summer that kindled the Democratic Party's fight over the direction of the party.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of insurgent
Noun
  • Throughout the campaign, Holscher painted Masterson as an extremist whose election could have catastrophic consequences for public education, tax policy and civil rights.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Matsui has flooded the market with mailers and TV advertisements that portray Vang as an extremist, cite her practice of abstaining from the Pledge of Allegiance and attack Vang over her attendance record at the meetings of local government bodies.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of extremist

Browse Nearby Words

secerns
secessionist
secessionists
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Secessionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secessionist. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
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 wabi-sabi

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'

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

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
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All