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separatist 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of separatistnext
as in sectarian

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separatist

2 of 2

noun

as in secessionist

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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 separatist
Adjective
Trump’s tariffs and 51st-state rhetoric have complicated the separatist argument by stirring Canadian nationalism and giving some French-speaking Quebecers another reason to value the protection that comes with remaining part of Canada. — ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 The Southern Transitional Council, a separatist movement that has been backed by the United Arab Emirates, has been a major force in the south. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
Since 2004, the provinces have been the site of a Muslim separatist insurgency that killed thousands. — ABC News, 23 July 2026 The new commander, Drapatyi, fought across the war’s toughest front lines, and video was even recycled on his appointment on Tuesday of him driving an armored personnel carrier through a pro-Russian separatist barricade in 2014. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for separatist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for separatist
  1. sectarian
  2. secessionist
  3. schismatic
  4. extremist
Adjective
  • Many Hindus today identify as Shaivas, Vaishnavas, or Shaktas, sectarian groups that, respectively, worship Shiva, Vishnu, or Shakti as supreme, with all other deities considered as manifestations or subordinates.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Experts see the union as evidence that Syria might actually be putting the era of sectarian violence behind it.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of sectarian
Noun
  • There, the war stoked longtime secessionist sentiments, fronted chiefly by the Southern Transitional Council -- a bloc that until 2025 held sway in the south and was backed by the United Arab Emirates.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • This week on The Sunday Story, reporter Connor Towne O'Neill takes us inside the movement to split Illinois, and the challenges facing a modern secessionist movement in the land of Lincoln.
    — NPR, NPR, 5 July 2026
Definition of secessionist
Adjective
  • The Vatican said the consecrations, carried out without the pope’s approval and therefore in conflict with Catholic law, constituted a schismatic act that severed the society’s communion with Rome.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026
  • The highly organized religious extravaganza underscored the society’s international reach despite its schismatic outsider status, and appeal to conservative, traditionalist Catholics wary of the modern, secular world.
    — Jamey Keaten, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of schismatic
Noun
  • The caption on the video claims that a group of Muslim extremists kidnapped and beheaded a Christian man for refusing to convert to Islam.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Dictators chose repression, extremists chose violence, and regional powers pursued their interests.
    — Ayman M. Mohyeldin, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of extremist

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Cite this Entry

“Separatist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/separatist. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on separatist

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about separatist

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