secede

verb

se·​cede si-ˈsēd How to pronounce secede (audio)
seceded; seceding

intransitive verb

: to withdraw from an organization (such as a religious communion or political party or federation)
seceder noun

Examples of secede in a Sentence

South Carolina seceded from the Union in 1860.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
One of the most significant examples occurred in 1863 when West Virginia seceded from Virginia during the Civil War in order to remain loyal to the Union. — Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025 In November, seven Downstate counties voted to consider seceding from Illinois and forming a new state; that was in addition to roughly two dozen other counties that have also explored breaking away. — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025 Seven Southern states had already seceded with the fate of Kentucky, a slave state, still unknown. — Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025 But ten of the eleven slaveholding states that seceded in 1861 gave him zero votes (the exception, Virginia, gave him 1.13 percent). — The Editors, National Review, 20 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for secede

Word History

Etymology

Latin secedere, from sed-, se- apart (from sed, se without) + cedere to go — more at suicide

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of secede was in 1749

Rhymes for secede

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Browse Nearby Words

secede
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Cite this Entry

“Secede.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secede. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

secede

verb
se·​cede si-ˈsēd How to pronounce secede (audio)
seceded; seceding
: to withdraw from an organization (as a nation, church, or political party)

More from Merriam-Webster on secede

Nglish: Translation of secede for Spanish Speakers

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