secularization

American  

[sek-yuh-luh-rahy-zey-shuhn] / ˌsɛk yə lə raɪˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. separation from religious or spiritual connection or influences.

   The secularization of America can be seen in politics, legal decisions, and educational institutions, as well as in the arts and the media.

2. the transfer of property from ecclesiastical to civil possession or use.

   There continues to be a debate about the secularization of religious art objects now exhibited in museum settings.

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Other Word Forms

• oversecularization noun

Etymology

Origin of secularization

seculariz(e) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Explanation

When something changes from being closely connected to or controlled by religion to being nonreligious, that's secularization. A religious school that's ending its affiliation with a church is undergoing secularization. An institution, government, or society that has no connection to religion is secular, and the process of moving toward being secular is secularization. If a country's population has become less religious or spiritual over time, it's evidence of the secularization of the entire society. Many colleges, including Harvard University for example, were religious institutions until they underwent secularization.

Example Sentences

While the rise of Catholicism in Africa serves as a counterbalance to the growing secularization of the West, it comes with its own set of challenges.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

It is difficult to overstate how significant the double-whammy of secularization and the second law were.

From Salon • Oct. 8, 2023

He hinted that it might be because of the rise of secularization.

From Washington Post • Apr. 16, 2023

The problem, as he sees it, is the secularization of society.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2023

Both in the Chamber and at Court he pleaded for the ancient principality of Osnabr�ck, which had been in the hands of a lay administrator ever since the great secularization.

From The War Upon Religion Being an Account of the Rise and Progress of Anti-christianism in Europe by Cunningham, Francis A. (Francis Aloysius)