secede
v.v. to leave a group, organization, or country to form your own separate one. You use this when a part of a larger group decides it no longer wants to be part of it.
v. to withdraw from an alliance, federation, or other collective body. Often implies a formal or legal separation from a larger political entity.
The northern states decided to secede from the union.
After years of political tension, the province voted to secede and establish its own independent government.
The constitutional crisis reached a peak when the minority faction threatened to secede from the league unless their demands for greater autonomy were met by the following month.
From Latin secedere, from se- (“apart”) + cēdō (“to go”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 26, 2026