Meaning & use
secularization
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountableformal
The process by which a society, institution, or activity becomes less connected with religion.
Grammar: Usually uncountable; often followed by 'of' to name what is changing.
Patterns
- the secularization of something
- secularization of society
- growing secularization
The secularization of education meant that schools no longer taught one religion.
Many sociologists study the secularization of Western Europe.
Common combinations
- secularization of society
- The secularization of society has been gradual over the past century.
- growing secularization
- Growing secularization has changed how people celebrate holidays.
- process of secularization
- Historians describe the process of secularization in different countries.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dechristianization
- More specific: it means losing Christian influence, while secularization can apply to any religion.
Opposites
Word family
- secular adjective
- Not connected with religion; worldly.
- secularize verb
- To make something less religious.
- secularism noun
- The belief that religion should not influence government or public life.
- secularist noun
- A person who supports secularism.
Commonly confused: secularization or secularism?
secularization vs secularism
Secularism is the principle or movement; secularization is the process of becoming less religious.
Practice
The ___ of public life has been a major trend in many countries.
Choose one answer.
The noun secularization fits the process being described. Secular is an adjective, secularism is the belief system, and secularist is a person.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “secularization”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.