Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
balkanize
verb
ˈbɔlkəˌnaɪz
Definition
To divide a region or body into smaller, often hostile, units.
Examples
- The country was balkanized after the civil war, leading to numerous factions vying for power.
- Efforts to balkanize the region have resulted in increased tension among its diverse groups.
- Historians warn that economic instability can balkanize nations and create chaos.
Meaning
Balkanize refers to the process of fragmentation or division, particularly in a political context, where a larger region is split into smaller, often conflicting entities.
Synonyms
- Divide
- Fragment
- Partition
- Split
