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

In the latter regard, the authors make the surprising assertion that “if we view secularization as the process of prioritizing political considerations over religious worldviews, then HTS was secularizing.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2025

Whatever triggered this wave of secularization, the effect was to fling open the door to thinking, for the first time since the ancients, that human extinction might be possible.

From Salon • Oct. 8, 2023

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

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2023

The Pew Research Center recently predicted that Christians could become a minority religion in the U.S. by 2070 if present trends toward secularization continue.

From Washington Times • Dec. 13, 2022

He voted for the secularization of the Clergy Reserves, and his voice was occasionally heard in support of measures relating to public improvements.

From The Canadian Portrait Gallery - Volumes 1 to 4 by Dent, John Charles