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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.


Other Word Forms

  • oversecularization noun

Etymology

Origin of secularization

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

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.

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

“The church’s internal difficulties constitute an excellent breeding ground of accelerating trends of secularization,” the report, Polish Church 2023, said.

From New York Times

As the secularization trend accelerated during the 1960s, spreading from the educated classes to the general public, a constellation of new worries popped up alongside thermonuclear fallout.

From Salon

Those on the right worry about secularization, political correctness, illegal immigration and more.

From Seattle Times

The connection between loneliness and secularization is that if one believes that God is omnipresent, always there watching over us, in a personal capacity as our lord and savior, how could one possibly feel lonely?

From Salon