sectarianize

verb

sec·tar·i·an·ize sek-ˈter-ē-ə-ˌnīz

sectarianized; sectarianizing

intransitive verb

: to act as sectarians

transitive verb

: to make sectarian

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler

The first known use of sectarianize was in 1842

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

sectarian

sectarianize

sectarism

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sectarianize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sectarianize. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

spontaneous

Listen to the pronunciation of spontaneous

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Using Bullet Points ( • )

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Popular in Wordplay

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

Birds Say the Darndest Things

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

Popular

Using Bullet Points ( • )

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs