splinter group

American  

noun

1. a small organization that becomes separated from or acts apart from an original larger group or a number of other small groups, with which it would normally be united, as because of disagreement.

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splinter group British  

noun

1. a number of members of an organization, political party, etc, who split from the main body and form an independent association, usually as the result of dissension

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splinter group Idioms  

1. A part of an organization that breaks away from the main body, usually owing to disagreement. For example, Perot's supporters at first constituted a splinter group but soon formed a third political party. This idiom alludes to the noun splinter, a fragment of wood or some other material that is split or broken off. [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

The county’s steps haven’t stopped the chaos: A splinter group from the condo now has elected a new board, which claims to have rightful control over the property.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Iswap is a splinter group of Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which has been waging an insurgency in north-eastern Nigeria for more than a decade.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 2025

A splinter group, the Northeast cartel, was among those designated as a terrorist organization last month by the Trump administration.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2025

A faction formed a splinter group called Sierrans for U.S.

From Salon • Nov. 14, 2024

Initial reports tied Mr. Aziz to a terrorist splinter group, but the FBI now is now calling it a simple case of mistaken identity.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed