as in factions
a group of people acting together within a larger group
one sect of medical researchers holds the minority view that the disease is not caused by that virus
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Recent Examples of sects
Netflix has become the place for documentaries about true crime, but also documentaries about cults and sects.
—
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 10 Apr. 2026
There have been reports in the media that some other ethnic sects in southern Lebanon have been allowed to stay despite evacuation orders.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
For one, Israel’s targeting and displacement of the Shiite community in southern Lebanon is likely to create friction among Lebanon’s various religious sects.
—Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
Shia Islam is the majority religion in Iran, but the constitution recognizes Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity as minority sects, with each represented in parliament.
—Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
With 12 Christian sects, the country is home to the largest proportion of Christians of any nation in the Arab world.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Islam has two major sects that are often in conflict.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026
His ideas precipitated a tectonic crisis of political legitimacy and unleashed a series of continent-wide wars, sometimes featuring millenarian protocommunist sects like the Anabaptists, who sought to overthrow the social order.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Out of this ethical fog has risen a Silicon Valley theology, split into warring sects.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 10 Apr. 2026
There have been reports in the media that some other ethnic sects in southern Lebanon have been allowed to stay despite evacuation orders.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
For one, Israel’s targeting and displacement of the Shiite community in southern Lebanon is likely to create friction among Lebanon’s various religious sects.
—Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
Shia Islam is the majority religion in Iran, but the constitution recognizes Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity as minority sects, with each represented in parliament.
—Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
With 12 Christian sects, the country is home to the largest proportion of Christians of any nation in the Arab world.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Islam has two major sects that are often in conflict.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026
His ideas precipitated a tectonic crisis of political legitimacy and unleashed a series of continent-wide wars, sometimes featuring millenarian protocommunist sects like the Anabaptists, who sought to overthrow the social order.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Out of this ethical fog has risen a Silicon Valley theology, split into warring sects.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sects
Noun
-
The new lawsuit joins a post-trial landscape littered with back-and-forth lawsuits between various factions.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
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As everybody knows, New Order eventually split into two factions of mortal enemies.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With spring in full bloom, your calendar may start to fill up with invites to parties and church socials, sporting events, and even vacation time away.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
-
They are considered standard-bearers of progressive or liberal politics on their respective continents, where reactionary parties and far-right populism have been on the rise for years.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sects. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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