adjective
-
of, belonging or relating to, or characteristic of sects or sectaries
-
adhering to a particular sect, faction, or doctrine
-
narrow-minded, esp as a result of rigid adherence to a particular sect
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sectarian
Explanation
Sectarian is a word to describe something having to do with smaller groups or sects. Sectarian violence, for example, would describe violence that has erupted between conflicting groups or sects. Sectarian, as a noun, is a member of a group with a particular set of interests. If you're a religious sectarian, you are loyal to a particular religious sect or group. Unfortunately, there are not many places in the world where sectarian strife and conflict do not exist.
Vocabulary lists containing sectarian
Power Suffix: -arian
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Ideas Live On" by Benazir Bhutto (2007)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
President Obama's U.N. Address
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Efforts to revive the school faced successive setbacks: sanctions in the 1990s, the US invasion of 2003, sectarian clashes in 2006 and 2007, and the rise of the Islamic State group between 2014 and 2017.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
"I will continue to stand with the Garvaghy Road residents who should be allowed to live in peace and free from sectarian intimidation," she added.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
An inquiry into the sectarian murder of Robert Hamill has found police officers who were in a vehicle near the attack did not condone or collude with the attackers.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
“In the end that sacred project actually tends to produce sectarian narrowness, exclusion, uniformity, silencing, self-censorship, lack of debate, the negative sanctioning of nonconformists, and the debilitation of rigorous thought.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
I ask my fellow-workers at the factory; they know nothing and think I am talking of some crazy Yomesh sectarian.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
