secessionists

plural of secessionist
as in rebels
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of secessionists If nothing is done, the secessionists may achieve success simply for lack of opposition. U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026 Analysts sympathetic to Riyadh say Saudi policy is to defend state sovereignty and regional order, accusing Abu Dhabi of empowering secessionists to maintain influence in failing states. Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secessionists
Noun
  • Al-Sharaa ousted President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 in an offensive led by HTS rebels.
    Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The designation remained throughout the rule of his son Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled by rebels led by current President Ahmed al-Sharaa in December 2024.
    Reuters, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Israel, meanwhile, has remained suspicious of the new authorities in Damascus, led by former Islamist insurgents.
    Andrew Wilks, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • In both races, the two incumbents faced insurgents who ran under the democratic socialist banner with campaigns that emphasized universal health care, cost-of-living concerns and opposition to Israel.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Solar ultraviolet photons break apart bonds in molecules, creating radicals, which oxidize VOCs.
    Michael A. Robinson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Political radicals have found purchase in Democratic primaries in part because of disgust with our present system of capitalist greed, self-dealing and multi-card monte with all cards in the president du jour’s hands.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In a Michigan swing district just north of Detroit, Democratic congressional candidate Christina Hines said voters are far more worried about affording fuel, groceries and healthcare than about left-wing extremists gaining ground in her party.
    Steve Peoples, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • During the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in a campaign of mass murder orchestrated by Hutu extremists.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Secessionists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secessionists. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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