VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

segregation

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌseɡrɪˈɡeɪʃn/
US/ˌsɛɡrɪˈɡeɪʃən/

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    The policy or practice of keeping groups apart, especially by race, in schools, housing and public places.

    Grammar: No plural: racial segregation, not 'segregations'.

    Patterns

    • segregation of something
    • segregation by something

    Segregation in schools was ruled unlawful in the United States in 1954.

    Civil rights leaders fought against segregation on buses.

    Housing segregation still shapes some cities.

  2. noununcountabletechnical

    The act of setting something apart from the rest for a practical reason.

    Grammar: Used in science and management: the segregation of waste.

    Patterns

    • segregation of waste

    Waste segregation makes recycling easier.

    The segregation of sick animals prevents infection.

    Strict segregation of duties reduces fraud.

  3. noununcountablebiology

    In genetics, the separation of paired genes when sex cells form.

    Grammar: A biology term used with alleles and chromosomes.

    Patterns

    • segregation of alleles

    Mendel described the segregation of alleles in pea plants.

    Segregation produces gametes with only one gene of each pair.

    The students drew a diagram of segregation.

Common combinations

racial segregation
Racial segregation was once law in many states.
school segregation
School segregation limited many children's chances.
end segregation
Protesters demanded an end to segregation.
gender segregation
Gender segregation occurs in some workplaces.
segregation of waste
Segregation of waste is required in this town.

Synonyms and how they differ

separation
Separation is a general word for dividing, whereas segregation points to forced or systematic division.
isolation
Isolation means being kept alone, not necessarily because of a rule about groups.
apartheid
Apartheid is the specific system of racial segregation in South Africa, narrower than segregation.

Opposites

integrationdesegregation

Word family

segregate verb
to set apart from others
segregated adjective
kept apart
desegregation noun
the ending of segregation
segregationist noun
a person who supports segregation

Commonly confused: segregation or separation?

segregation vs separation

Separation can be personal and peaceful, like a couple's separation, whereas segregation is imposed on groups.

Practice

Which word is the opposite of segregation?

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “segregation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words