factionalism

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • Division into factions: "factionalism" refers to the state or practice of being split into smaller, often conflicting groups (factions) within a larger organization, political party, or society.
    • Promotion of factional interests: It also denotes the advocacy or emphasis on the interests of one's own faction over the unity or goals of the whole group.
Usage Examples
  • (The party suffered because members formed opposing groups and fought among themselves.)
  • (The presence of competing teams or cliques slowed down progress.)
  • (The historian examined the conflicts between subgroups that caused the movement to fail.)
Advanced Usage

  • "to breed factionalism": to create or encourage the formation of factions.

    • The leader's favoritism bred factionalism among the staff. (The leader's preferential treatment caused employees to form rival groups.)

  • "to overcome factionalism": to resolve conflicts between factions and achieve unity.

    • The new chairman worked hard to overcome factionalism within the board. (The chairman tried to end the divisions and bring members together.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Factional (adj): relating to or characteristic of a faction.

    • The factional disputes continued for years. (The arguments between the groups persisted.)

  • Factionalize (verb): to divide into factions.

    • The debate factionalized the community. (The argument split the community into opposing sides.)

  • Faction (noun): a small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one.

    • A radical faction broke away from the main party. (A small group with extreme views separated from the larger organization.)
Synonyms
  • Sectarianism: excessive devotion to a particular sect or group, often leading to conflict.
  • Partisanship: strong, often biased support for a particular group or cause.
  • Divisiveness: the tendency to cause disagreement or separation between people.
Related Idioms

  • "to split into warring camps": to divide into groups that are hostile to each other.

    • The issue of funding split the committee into warring camps. (The members formed opposing factions over money.)

  • "to play faction against faction": to deliberately create or exploit divisions between groups.

    • The dictator played faction against faction to maintain control. (The dictator encouraged conflict between groups to prevent them from uniting against him.)