as in factions
a group of people acting together within a larger group
one sect of medical researchers holds the minority view that the disease is not caused by that virus
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Recent Examples of sects
The Christian religion was only tolerated in the communist dictatorship, and other religious sects were forbidden.
—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
11 June 2026
In an unrelated development, an umbrella group of Hasidic Jewish sects in Williamsburg endorsed Reynoso.
—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
8 June 2026
Some sects of the entertainment industry have tackled AI head-on, including the aforementioned Aniston's Friends costar Lisa Kudrow, whose third and final season of the HBO comedy The Comeback entirely revolved around a story about the dangers of AI writing an entire sitcom.
—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
In Tyre, long held up by locals as a model of coexistence among Lebanon’s various sects, Israeli occupation and bombardment were not weakening Hezbollah’s case for its weapons.
—
Euan Ward,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Netflix has become the place for documentaries about true crime, but also documentaries about cults and sects.
—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
10 Apr. 2026
For one, Israel’s targeting and displacement of the Shiite community in southern Lebanon is likely to create friction among Lebanon’s various religious sects.
—
Mireille Rebeiz,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
Shia Islam is the majority religion in Iran, but the constitution recognizes Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity as minority sects, with each represented in parliament.
—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
With 12 Christian sects, the country is home to the largest proportion of Christians of any nation in the Arab world.
—
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
11 June 2026
In an unrelated development, an umbrella group of Hasidic Jewish sects in Williamsburg endorsed Reynoso.
—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
8 June 2026
Some sects of the entertainment industry have tackled AI head-on, including the aforementioned Aniston's Friends costar Lisa Kudrow, whose third and final season of the HBO comedy The Comeback entirely revolved around a story about the dangers of AI writing an entire sitcom.
—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
In Tyre, long held up by locals as a model of coexistence among Lebanon’s various sects, Israeli occupation and bombardment were not weakening Hezbollah’s case for its weapons.
—
Euan Ward,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Netflix has become the place for documentaries about true crime, but also documentaries about cults and sects.
—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
10 Apr. 2026
For one, Israel’s targeting and displacement of the Shiite community in southern Lebanon is likely to create friction among Lebanon’s various religious sects.
—
Mireille Rebeiz,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
Shia Islam is the majority religion in Iran, but the constitution recognizes Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity as minority sects, with each represented in parliament.
—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
With 12 Christian sects, the country is home to the largest proportion of Christians of any nation in the Arab world.
—
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sects
Noun
-
The ongoing war between woke and anti-woke factions is a fatuous melodrama best left to the satirists.
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Both political factions’ cronies continually flatter and lie to them about how things are going.
Noun
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As far afield as Malaysia and Thailand, fans celebrated the singer’s big day with parties of their own – hosting bachelorette-style fetes in honor of Swift’s wedding.
-
And, people will be outside in droves, at cookouts, parades, parties and fireworks shows.
Cite this Entry
“Sects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sects. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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