disunion

noun

dis·​union (ˌ)dis-ˈyü-nyən How to pronounce disunion (audio)
dish-
1
: the termination of union : separation
2
disunionist noun

Examples of disunion in a Sentence

in the 19th century the volatile issue of slavery resulted in the disunion of several Protestant denominations
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Yet the very neat symmetry that Merry highlights in the 1850s — with radicals in both South Carolina and Massachusetts rejecting compromise and opting for disunion or even war — is precisely what’s missing today. Richard Kreitner, Washington Post, 13 July 2024 Liberal democracies would further descend into disunion and thereby lose their ability to shape global rules and norms. G. John Ikenberry, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2020 By this time, the founders had already witnessed firsthand the deadly centrifugal forces of disunion acting upon the Continental Congress. Time, 3 July 2023 George Washington, John Adams, James Madison, and the rest accomplished these stunning feats not only in spite of the tactical advantages of the British army and navy, but also in spite of the overwhelming centrifugal forces of disunion and civil wars that were acting on them every day. Time, 3 July 2023 See all Example Sentences for disunion 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of disunion was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near disunion

Cite this Entry

“Disunion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disunion. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

disunion

noun
dis·​union dish-ˈü-nyən How to pronounce disunion (audio)
(ˈ)dis-ˈyü-
: the ending of union : separation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!