Word
segregate
Phoneticsseg·re·gate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsɛɡɹəˌɡeɪt/
UK/sˈɛɡɹɪɡˌeɪt/
Definition
v. to keep different groups of people apart so they cannot mix or meet.
v. to separate people or things into distinct groups and keep them apart, often by law or policy. Typically implies enforced division along racial, ethnic, or social lines.
Examples
“They segregate boys and girls in some schools.”
“The city used to segregate passengers on buses by race.”
“After the ruling, officials could no longer segregate students by neighbourhood in a way that reproduced the old racial divisions.”
Examples
simple
“They segregate boys and girls in some schools.”
contextual
“The city used to segregate passengers on buses by race.”
complex
“After the ruling, officials could no longer segregate students by neighbourhood in a way that reproduced the old racial divisions.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “segregate” in context.
Verb
01. attempt to segregate
“The policy attempted to segregate boys and girls in all lessons.”
verb + to + verb
02. seek to segregate
“Extremist leaders sought to segregate communities along religious lines.”
verb + to + verb
03. segregate by race
“Laws once segregated passengers by race on public buses.”
verb + prep + noun
04. segregate from society
“The system segregates offenders from society rather than rehabilitating them.”
verb + prep + noun
05. segregate into group
“Teachers segregated pupils into groups based on ability.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
06. forcibly segregate
“Authorities forcibly segregated the two communities after the riots.”
adv + verb
07. rigidly segregate
“Under apartheid, neighbourhoods were rigidly segregated by race.”
adv + verb
Noun
08. segregate community
“Conflict has segregated communities that once lived side by side.”
verb + noun
09. segregate prisoner
“The governor decided to segregate violent prisoners from the others.”
verb + noun
10. be segregated by gender
“In some schools, pupils are still segregated by gender for sport.”
11. refuse to segregate schools
“The board refused to segregate schools despite political pressure.”
12. segregate boys from girls
“Some traditional schools segregate boys from girls in class.”
Usage
Transitive and takes a direct object; often used in the passive with 'by' or 'from' ('segregated by race').
Real-World Examples
“IQ was at first an educational tool; it was gradually transformed into a weapon used to identify and segregate whole populations based on terrible science .” Etymology
From Latin sēgregātus, perfect passive participle of sēgregō (“to separate”), from sē- (“apart”) + gregō (“to flock or group”), from grex (“flock”). Compare gregarious, aggregate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
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