SECTARIANISM Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

sectarianism

noun

Definition of sectarianism

as in bigotry

stubborn or intolerant adherence to one's opinions or prejudices an ideological sectarianism that prevented the political party from ever being anything more than a fringe group

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for sectarianism

Noun

Trey Parker and Matt Stone created a show directly informed by millennials and Gen Xers growing up in a culture of gun violence, fear, moralizing, bigotry, war and division.

— Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Gabbard's team and a spokesperson for SIF called the reporting anti-Hindu religious bigotry.

— Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 23 June 2026

Definition of bigotry

Noun

When authenticity becomes uncompromising, candor turns belligerent, consistency becomes rigid, or principled decision-making morphs into dogmatism, even the best intentions can backfire.

— Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
By staying so close to black metal’s core sound, Marchenko does more to undermine the dogmatism—both racial and aesthetic—of Vikernes and his ilk than a more obviously experimental project might.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026

Definition of dogmatism

Noun

Our country right now is mired in a level of bullying and intolerance that, for some, might feed their fears, but won’t feed their family.

— Dawn M. Turner, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
High amounts of whey may cause bloating and gas, especially in those with lactose intolerance or dairy sensitivity.

— Kristen Gasnick, Verywell Health, 1 July 2026

Definition of intolerance

Noun

For much of the past several decades, overt expressions of racial prejudice became increasingly socially unacceptable in mainstream public life.

— Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Ableism is the everyday prejudice — sometimes subtle, sometimes overt — that treats people with disabilities as inconvenient, less competent, or less deserving of respect and opportunity.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026

Definition of prejudice

Noun

Meanwhile, Grok showed the strongest biases, highly favoring Catholics and Protestants while showing an aversion for Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baha’i and Hindus.

— Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 3 July 2026
In fact, Smith has long argued that the NFL has overlooked Black candidates at those positions because of racial bias.

— Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of bias

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.

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sectarian

sectarianism

sectarians

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“Sectarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sectarianism. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of sectarianism

noun

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