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
Dodik and other secessionist leaders will realize that nothing is stopping them from dismantling the remaining Bosnian institutions in their territory.
—
Ismet Fatih Cancar, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2025
An Austrian secessionist painted iron center table by Thonet stands atop a circa 1900 Russian Bessarabian wool rug in the two-story entrance hall.
—David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 20 Mar. 2025
According to researchers at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a think tank in Washington, D.C., these secessionist movements have gained support from Russian accounts on social media.
—Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
The base was originally named for Lt. Gen. Henry Benning, a Confederate general and Southern secessionist who opposed freeing slaves.
—Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for secessionist
Ismet Fatih Cancar, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2025
An Austrian secessionist painted iron center table by Thonet stands atop a circa 1900 Russian Bessarabian wool rug in the two-story entrance hall.
—David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 20 Mar. 2025
According to researchers at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a think tank in Washington, D.C., these secessionist movements have gained support from Russian accounts on social media.
—Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
The base was originally named for Lt. Gen. Henry Benning, a Confederate general and Southern secessionist who opposed freeing slaves.
—Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for secessionist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secessionist
Noun
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Yemen's Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, have continued to launch attacks in the region despite the truce, including previous drone and missile strikes targeting Israel.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
-
Young-il manages to separate from the group and betrays the rebels, killing two of them and faking his own death.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Noun
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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,
Hazlitt,
11 June 2025
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Russia was occupying our land and backing armed separatists, but Ukraine was told to negotiate.—
Tetiana Kotelnykova,
The Atlantic,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Widely viewed as the most powerful of a broad array of insurgent groups active in northern Syria, HTS withstood regular attacks by the Syrian military, ultimately turning the tide last December.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
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In recent years, the PKK has been limited to isolated attacks inside Turkey as the Turkish military, backed by armed drones, has pushed its insurgents increasingly across the mountainous border into Iraq.—
Suzan Fraser,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Secessionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secessionist. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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