verb
secede
si-SEED
Secede (verb) means to formally withdraw from a country, federation, alliance or other organisation, ending membership of it. Example: “Eleven southern states voted to secede from the Union.”
verb
1
To formally withdraw from a country, federation, alliance or other organisation, ending membership of it.
"Eleven southern states voted to secede from the Union."
"A vocal minority wants the region to secede and govern itself."
"A Spanish Supreme Court probe into last year's attempt to secede Catalonia from Spain wraps up Friday with the judge expected to charge 28 regional politicians and separatist leaders with offenses that may include rebellion."
— “The Latest: Europe arrest warrants for 6 Catalan separatists”, The Latest: Europe arrest warrants for 6 Catalan separatists (2018)
"We can secede from the United Kingdom any time we want."
— , Writers declare independence for Wirral (2007)
"“The horror, the horror”, said venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar, an Uber investor who made a call for California to secede from the US."
— Tabby Kinder, Has Silicon Valley gone Maga? (2024)
How to use secede
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo formally leave a country or group you belonged to.
When to use it
Formal, mostly political, historical and legal writing.
Memory tip
Secede is nearly always followed by from: secede from a country, a church, a federation.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
secede from the Union
threaten to secede
vote to secede
the right to secede
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Eleven southern states voted to _____ from the Union.
Etymology
From Latin secedere 'to withdraw, go apart', from se- 'apart' and cedere 'to go'.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for secede
See all rhymes for secede →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between secede and succeed?
They sound similar but are unrelated. To secede is to break away from a larger body, as a state might from a union. To succeed is to achieve what you set out to do, or to come after someone in a role.
What is the difference between secede and seceded from versus secession?
Secede is the verb and secession is the noun for the act itself. A state secedes; the event is its secession. A person or group that supports it is a secessionist.
Can a US state legally secede?
No. In Texas v. White (1869) the Supreme Court held that the union of the states is perpetual and that unilateral secession has no legal effect. Any lawful departure would require the consent of the other states.
What is the meaning of secede?
"secede" (verb) means to formally withdraw from a country, federation, alliance or other organisation, ending membership of it.
