1
a
: a dissenting or schismatic religious body
especially
: one regarded as extreme or heretical
b
: a religious denomination
2
archaic
: sex sense 1
so is all her sect—
William Shakespeare
William ShakespeareSynonyms
Examples of sect in a Sentence
Noun
one sect of medical researchers holds the minority view that the disease is not caused by that virus
Recent Examples on the Web
Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2025
The list of grievances appears endless against Syria’s Alawite community, a minority sect of roughly 13% of the population, and to which Mr. Assad and many high-ranking former regime figures belong.
—Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan. 2025
Peasant sects promoted exotic beliefs and practices, including anti-materialism, self-flagellation, and self-castration.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
Many members of the sect contend that they, too, were oppressed under the dictatorship, just like other Syrians.
—Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
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Noun
This, perhaps, is why only 0.3 percent of all materials annually consumed by the sect are from recycled sources, as reported by the Circle Economy.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2025
The list of grievances appears endless against Syria’s Alawite community, a minority sect of roughly 13% of the population, and to which Mr. Assad and many high-ranking former regime figures belong.
—Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan. 2025
Peasant sects promoted exotic beliefs and practices, including anti-materialism, self-flagellation, and self-castration.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
Many members of the sect contend that they, too, were oppressed under the dictatorship, just like other Syrians.
—Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sect
Dictionary Entries Near sect
Cite this Entry
“Sect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sect. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
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