separatism

American  

[sep-er-uh-tism] / ˈsɛp ər ə tɪsm /

noun

1. a principle or policy advocating withdrawing or seceding from an established union, such as a church, nation, etc..

   The move toward separatism may become more powerful as the country’s economy melts down.

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Etymology

Origin of separatism

separat(e) ( def. ) + -ism ( def. )

Explanation

Separatism is the belief that one group of people should split off and live apart from a larger group. Often, separatism stems from differences in religious beliefs, language, or ethnicity. Separatism comes from separate and its Latin root, separare, which means "to pull apart." Advocating for pulling away or apart from a larger group is separatism. People who believe in the idea or put it into action are separatists. Ethnic separatism, based on different cultures and languages, led to the split of Czechoslovakia into two separate countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Example Sentences

But was Blair correct in saying he'd "lanced the boil of separatism"?

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

This may have been a low point, but not even the more edifying moments of the discussion shed much light on the essential conflict between Brustein’s commitment to integration and Wilson’s appeal for separatism.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 8, 2023

In the diaspora, it is hard to tell how many actually support state separatism, said Anneeth Kaur Hundle, associate professor of anthropology and a specialist in Sikh studies at the University of California, Irvine.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 22, 2023

Anger over historical grievances remains palpable in Punjab, despite limited support for separatism.

From Washington Post • Apr. 16, 2023

If he, who had advocated nonviolence rather than nationalism or separatism had been killed, what hope did the rest of us Negroes have?

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

Related Words

• apartheid
• discrimination