secularization

American  

[sek-yuh-luh-rahy-zey-shuhn] / ˌsɛk yə lə raɪˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. separation from religious or spiritual connection or influences.

   The secularization of America can be seen in politics, legal decisions, and educational institutions, as well as in the arts and the media.

2. the transfer of property from ecclesiastical to civil possession or use.

   There continues to be a debate about the secularization of religious art objects now exhibited in museum settings.

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Other Word Forms

• oversecularization noun

Etymology

Origin of secularization

seculariz(e) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Example Sentences

He may well know that the Islamic revolution actually intensified the country’s secularization.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

It is difficult to overstate how significant the double-whammy of secularization and the second law were.

From Salon • Oct. 8, 2023

The problem, as he sees it, is the secularization of society.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2023

In Germany, the pace of secularization, a force Benedict XVI spent decades warning about, has been dramatic.

From Washington Post • Dec. 30, 2022

Index: E Commissioner of public works, 1853, 126; and again in coalition ministry, 1854, 141; votes against secularization of the Clergy Reserves, 164; commissioner under Seigniorial Tenure law, 186.

From The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History by Various