Brexit

American  

[breg-zit, brek-sit] / ˈbrɛg zɪt, ˈbrɛk sɪt /

noun

1. the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from membership in the European Union.

2. the nonbinding national referendum in 2016 that resulted in a vote for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union.

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Etymology

Origin of Brexit

First recorded in 2012; (originally also spelled Brixit , referencing Britain's possible withdrawal); Br(itain) ( def. ) or Br(itish) ( def. ) + exit ¹ ( def. ); probably patterned on Grexit ( def. ), which dates from earlier that year

Example Sentences

The co-founders of Kalshi often use Brexit as an example of the power of event contracts.

From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026

It comes as the party has shifted its tone on Brexit as it grappled with Britain's ailing economy.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

A total of 52.5% of voters in Wales backed Brexit in 2016 and Boris Johnson secured a bumper number of Welsh Conservative MPs in the 2019 general election with his promise to "Get Brexit Done".

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

It was a major cultural change for someone who had come up on the British populist right, as the restaurant attracted patrons interested in blockchain and not just in Brexit.

From Slate • Mar. 10, 2026

They rallied sharply after non-energy shocks like 9/11, Lehman Brothers and Brexit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026