secession

[ si-sesh-uhn ]

/ sɪˈsɛʃ ən /

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See synonyms for secession on Thesaurus.com

noun

an act or instance of seceding.

(often initial capital letter)U.S. History. the withdrawal from the Union of 11 Southern states in the period 1860–61, which brought on the Civil War.

(usually initial capital letter)Fine Arts. a style of art in Germany and Austria concurrent with and related to Art Nouveau.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of secession

1525–35; <Latin sēcessiōn- (stem of sēcessiō) withdrawal, equivalent to sēcess(us) (past participle of sēcēdere to secede; see cession) + -iōn--ion

OTHER WORDS FROM secession

se·ces·sion·al, adjectivenon·se·ces·sion, nounnon·se·ces·sion·al, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH secession

cession, secession , session

Words nearby secession

Secchi depth, Secchi disk, secco, secede, secern, secession, secessionist, sech, Seckel, sec. leg., seclude

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use secession in a sentence

The chairman of the Texas GOP seriously suggested secession when the last, desperate legal challenges to the election failed.
Is the Republican Party Truly Trumpist Now? The Impeachment Trial Is the Ultimate Test|David French|February 10, 2021|Time
Channeling Douglas’s condemnation of secession, McConnell told listeners that “public doubt alone” could not “justify a radical break when that doubt was incited without evidence.”
Mitch McConnell has repeated Stephen A. Douglas’s biggest mistake|Lauren Haumesser|January 12, 2021|Washington Post
The closest parallel is probably the Southern “Fire-Eaters” who were rabid advocates of enslavement and secession before the Civil War.
Are we entering a new era of political violence?|Sean Illing|January 7, 2021|Vox
Afterward, Texas Republican Party Chairman Allen West declared that “law-abiding states should bond together and form a Union of states that will abide by the Constitution” — a seeming endorsement of secession.
Gracious losers protect our democracy. Sore ones undermine it.|Edward McClelland|January 6, 2021|Washington Post

America is polarized with a political culture growing more toxic by the day, but the realities of secession would be too much to bear.
The New Meaning of Citizenship|Daniel Malloy|December 13, 2020|Ozy
In the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Plains, and Far West, secession sympathizers top out at 22 percent of the population.
America’s Slumbering Secession Obsession|James Poulos|September 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But very few of us have imagined that they could fuel a generalized positive view of secession.
America’s Slumbering Secession Obsession|James Poulos|September 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The larger the pro-secession minority becomes, the more the majority opposed to secession will believe that Hobbes was right.
America’s Slumbering Secession Obsession|James Poulos|September 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
According to Reuters, current Democrat support for secession is hovering around 20 percent.
America’s Slumbering Secession Obsession|James Poulos|September 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And here in America, the spirit of secession is gaining strength too.
America’s Slumbering Secession Obsession|James Poulos|September 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even as late as April 4, the Richmond convention had rejected secession by a vote of two to one.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
On February 13, 1861, a special state convention was held in Richmond to discuss the possibility of secession.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
On May 4, a large majority of the Virginia citizens voted their approval of secession.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
But, even at that time, which was within six weeks of election day, the idea of secession did not prevail.
The Supplies for the Confederate Army|Caleb Huse
Gentlemen, Secession is played out—the dog is dead—the child is born, and his name is Jeff.
Portrait and Biography of Parson Brownlow, The Tennessee Patriot|William Gannaway Brownlow

British Dictionary definitions for secession

secession

/ (sɪˈsɛʃən) /

noun

the act of seceding

(often capital) mainly US the withdrawal in 1860–61 of 11 Southern states from the Union to form the Confederacy, precipitating the American Civil War

Derived forms of secession

secessional, adjectivesecessionism, nounsecessionist, noun, adjective

Word Origin for secession

C17: from Latin sēcessiō a withdrawing, from sēcēdere to secede

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for secession

secession

The withdrawal from the United States of eleven southern states in 1860 and 1861. The seceding states formed a government, the Confederacy, in early 1861. Hostilities against the remaining United States, the Union, began in April 1861 (see Fort Sumter), and the Civil War followed.

secession

Origin of secession

OTHER WORDS FROM secession

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH secession

Words nearby secession

Words related to secession

How to use secession in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for secession

Derived forms of secession

Word Origin for secession

Cultural definitions for secession