secession

American  

[si-sesh-uhn] / sɪˈsɛʃ ən /

noun

secessions plural

1. an act or instance of seceding.

2. (often initial capital letter) the withdrawal from the Union of 11 Southern states in the period 1860–61, which brought on the Civil War.

3. (usually initial capital letter) a style of art in Germany and Austria concurrent with and related to Art Nouveau.

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secession British  

/ sɪˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. the act of seceding

2. (often capital) the withdrawal in 1860–61 of 11 Southern states from the Union to form the Confederacy, precipitating the American Civil War

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secession Cultural  

1. The withdrawal from the United States of eleven southern states in 1860 and 1861. The seceding states formed a government, the Confederacy, in early 1861. Hostilities against the remaining United States, the Union, began in April 1861 (see Fort Sumter), and the Civil War followed.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsecession
  noun
• secessionism
  noun
• secessionist
  noun
• nonsecessional
  adjective
• secessional
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• secessions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of secession

1525–35; < Latin sēcessiōn- (stem of sēcessiō ) withdrawal, equivalent to sēcess ( us ) (past participle of sēcēdere to secede; see cession) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

The noun secession refers to a big break-up — a formal split, an official “Good-bye to you!” — among political entities. If France has really, truly had it with the European Union, then a French secession movement may be in order. You could think of secession as a kind of divorce for governments, an official and often lasting split between an alliance, federation, or other political group. Secession is the noun version of the verb secede (meaning to withdraw from an organization), and when a secession takes place the group doing the seceding makes a formal departure from the original group. A famous example of political secession happened right before the American Civil War, when eleven southern states withdrew from the U.S. government over the issue of slavery.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

secession secessions

But then, in quick order, came Lincoln’s election to the presidency in November 1860, the secession of the slave states to form the Southern Confederacy, and the attack on the U.S. garrison in Fort Sumter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

Ironically, Brooks was sometimes mocked as too moderate by his more bloodthirsty constituents because he opposed premature secession, although he foresaw and supported the eventual breakup of the Union.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026

"Alberta's secession cannot happen without First Nation consent to change a party to Treaty No. 8," the lawsuit stated.

From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2026

The last time the idea of secession gained serious momentum was in 1993 when a consultative referendum saw 65 percent of residents support independence -- but the plan got mired in opposition from state officials.

From Barron's ● Feb. 13, 2026

Column space for joking articles about ghosts and gossip diminished as the idea of Southern secession grew more common.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Clemon had helped establish a precedent that secessions were not permissible if they undermined court-ordered desegregation.

From New York Times ● Sep. 6, 2017

Esperanto saw no end of sects, schisms, secessions, coups.

From The New Yorker ● Oct. 24, 2016

In many cases, these secessions occurred after extremely divided conventions and popular votes.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 30, 2014

As America tipped toward civil war, this elevation of the local paved the way for a flurry of secessions in the South.

From Slate ● May 11, 2012

And many Black African countries feared that an independent Biafra would trigger other secessions and so supported Nigeria.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• breakaway
• breakup
• separation