as in rebel
a person who thinks that a nation, state, etc., should separate from another and become independent
A growing group of secessionists are pushing for the independence of the region.
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Recent Examples of secessionist
According to researchers at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a think tank in Washington, D.C., these secessionist movements have gained support from Russian accounts on social media.
—
Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
The base was originally named for Lt. Gen. Henry Benning, a Confederate general and Southern secessionist who opposed freeing slaves.
—Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2025
Monuments to old secessionists and segregationists had fallen across the country.
—Charles King, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2021
Separately, secessionist movements in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states might return in earnest while the central government is at war with itself.
—Mai Hassan, Foreign Affairs, 1 May 2023
See All Example Sentences for secessionist
Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
The base was originally named for Lt. Gen. Henry Benning, a Confederate general and Southern secessionist who opposed freeing slaves.
—Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2025
Monuments to old secessionists and segregationists had fallen across the country.
—Charles King, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2021
Separately, secessionist movements in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states might return in earnest while the central government is at war with itself.
—Mai Hassan, Foreign Affairs, 1 May 2023
See All Example Sentences for secessionist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secessionist
Noun
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Despite all their years of playing cat-and-mouse, Diego Luna’s rebel spy Cassian Andor and Kyle Soller‘s Empire agent Syril Karn have never had much screen time together — until now.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
7 May 2025
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Israel has repeatedly targeted the rebels in Yemen.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2025
Noun
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Pakistan claims those separatists are backed by Indian intelligence.—
Diaa Hadid,
NPR,
7 May 2025
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The long-simmering conflict in Kashmir, India, blew up last week, when Islamic Kashmir separatists killed 26 tourists and injured over a dozen others.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Rizvi similarly felt that the U.S. would more likely strive to calm tensions rather than green-light any military operations—describing the Trump administration's language in support of India as closely mirroring remarks delivered in the wake of insurgent attacks against Pakistan.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
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How is India responding? India has long accused Pakistan of directly backing Islamic insurgents in Kashmir, a charge denied by Islamabad.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Secessionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secessionist. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
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