separatist
Wants political independence
A separatist advocates for breaking away from a larger political entity—a region seeking independence, a faction wanting to split from an organization.
The term often appears in political contexts: Separatist movements in Catalonia have pushed for independence from Spain.
As an adjective, it describes such efforts: separatist tendencies, separatist rebels.
The word can carry negative connotations when used by those opposing the breakaway.
Authority defier
- dissidentOpposer of established systems
- insurgentOne who revolts
- militantAggressive cause supporter
- revolutionarySeeking fundamental systemic change
radical · agitator · guerrilla · freedom fighter · resistance · underground · cell · cadre
One seeking independence
- nationalistOne prioritizing homeland interests
- independenceFreedom from external control
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
autonomy · self-rule · devolution · home rule · decentralization · regionalism · federalism · statehood
Armed uprising against authority
- rebellionDefiance of established power
- uprisingOrganized resistance to power
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
struggle · resistance · dissent · independence movement · liberation · emancipation · self-determination · ethnicity
Barrier separating spaces
- schismFormal organizational fracture
- riftCrack or estrangement
- disunionState of being divided
- breakupRomantic relationship's termination
fragmentation · dismemberment · balkanization · disintegration · split · divergence · cleavage · dissolution
Breakaway subset of organization
- breakawaySudden separation from group
- sectBreakaway religious faction
- cellBasic unit of life
- wingLimb enabling flight
bloc · fringe · caucus · schism · paramilitary · guerrilla · underground · clandestine
rebel
Authority defier
revolutionary · radical · agitator · guerrilla · freedom fighter · resistance · underground · cell · cadre · hardliner
secessionist
One seeking independence
- nationalistOne prioritizing homeland interests
- independenceFreedom from external control
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
self-determination · autonomy · self-rule · devolution · home rule · decentralization · regionalism · federalism · statehood · nationhood
insurgency
Armed uprising against authority
- rebellionDefiance of established power
- uprisingOrganized resistance to power
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
revolution · struggle · resistance · dissent · independence movement · liberation · emancipation · self-determination · ethnicity · nationalism
partition
Barrier separating spaces
breakup · fragmentation · dismemberment · balkanization · disintegration · split · divergence · cleavage · dissolution · disaffiliation
splinter group
Breakaway subset of organization
wing · bloc · fringe · caucus · schism · paramilitary · guerrilla · underground · clandestine · outlawed
- politicalconservative, liberal, moderate, centrist, leftist
- renegadesrenegade, rebel, traitor, turncoat, defector
- nonstate actorsmilitia, insurgent, rebel group, guerrilla, paramilitary
- political typesconservative, liberal, moderate, leftist, rightist
- sectarianismsectarianism, sectarian, sect, schism, schismatic
- Patriotspatriot, Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, founding father
separatistunionist
Labor coalition supporter
integrationist · federalist · unifier · centralist · annexationist
separatistdependent
Requiring outside support
statist · centralist · establishmentarian · assimilationist · loyalist
- legal separationFormal marital split, not dissolution
- separation anxietyDistress from being apart
- trial separationTemporary marital distance
- degree of separationLinks between two people
- separation of church and stateConstitutional religious neutrality principle
- family separationKin kept apart
separation, separatism, separatists, separative, separationist