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. )

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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

See Examples For:

separatism

At that particular time, there was a lot of talk of separatism with Quebec.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

A poll from Abacus Data found that 61% believe they’ll be asked to vote again on separatism in the future, even as a majority say they’re eager to move on.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

The MEO also reported on a network of AI-generated videos discussing separatism which garnered over 40 million views and was eventually linked to individuals in the Netherlands.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the aim was to complement a previous similar law, passed five years ago, which allowed the government to close associations accused of promoting Islamic separatism.

From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2026

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

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