sequestration: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal; Technical (Legal, Environmental, Political)
Quick answer
What does “sequestration” mean?
The act of isolating, removing, or confiscating something, especially property or assets, often by legal or official authority.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of isolating, removing, or confiscating something, especially property or assets, often by legal or official authority.
In modern contexts, commonly refers to the process of locking away or absorbing something to prevent its circulation. Most notably, in law (isolating a jury or property), politics (automatic spending cuts), and environmental science (carbon capture and storage).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In US English, the political term 'sequestration' (automatic budget cuts) is highly dominant due to recent political history. In UK English, the legal sense (e.g., of a jury, assets) is more common, and the political term is understood but used less frequently.
Connotations
US: Strongly negative, associated with political gridlock and blunt, damaging austerity measures. UK/General: Neutral to negative, associated with legal process or forceful removal.
Frequency
Higher frequency in US English due to its fixed place in political discourse. In UK English, it is a low-frequency, formal word.
Grammar
How to Use “sequestration” in a Sentence
sequestration of [something] (e.g., assets, carbon)subject to sequestrationundergo sequestrationVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sequestration” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The judge may sequester the jury to ensure a fair trial.
- Assets can be sequestered pending the outcome of litigation.
American English
- The 2011 Budget Control Act could sequester billions in defense spending.
- The court ordered to sequester the disputed funds.
adverb
British English
- The jury lived sequesteredly in a hotel for the trial's duration.
American English
- The funds were held sequesteredly in an escrow account.
adjective
British English
- The sequestration order was granted by the High Court.
- They discussed sequestration techniques for carbon.
American English
- The sequestration process was triggered by Congress's failure to act.
- Sequestration cuts affected a wide range of federal programs.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in discussions of government contracts affected by budget sequestration (US).
Academic
Common in environmental science (carbon sequestration), law (asset/jury sequestration), and political science.
Everyday
Very rare. Would only be used when discussing specific US politics or legal dramas.
Technical
The primary register. Precise meaning varies by field: law (confiscation), environmental science (storage), politics (automatic cuts).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sequestration”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sequestration”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sequestration”
- Using 'sequestration' to mean a simple 'reduction' or 'cut' without the connotation of automatic, enforced isolation/removal.
- Confusing 'sequestration' (noun) with 'sequester' (verb) in sentence construction (e.g., 'The government sequestered the funds' vs. 'The sequestration of funds').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Sequester' is the verb meaning 'to isolate or confiscate.' 'Sequestration' is the noun form referring to the process, act, or state of being sequestered.
It is generally neutral in technical contexts (law, science) but carries strong negative connotations in US political discourse, where it implies forced, undesirable austerity measures.
It is highly unlikely in everyday conversation unless specifically discussing US federal budgets, complex legal proceedings, or environmental technology. Simpler words like 'cuts', 'isolation', or 'storage' are preferred.
Yes, both stem from the core Latin meaning of 'to lay aside' or 'remove'. Legally, it removes assets from use. Environmentally, it removes carbon from the atmosphere. The core concept of 'taking out of circulation' links them.
The act of isolating, removing, or confiscating something, especially property or assets, often by legal or official authority.
Sequestration is usually formal; technical (legal, environmental, political) in register.
Sequestration: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsiː.kwəˈstreɪ.ʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsiː.kwəˈstreɪ.ʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SEQUENCE being interrupted and locked away in a STATION (sequester + station). The word sounds like 'see quest ration' – imagine officials seeing your assets, questioning them, and putting them on ration (confiscating).
Conceptual Metaphor
CONFINEMENT IS A LOCKED CONTAINER (assets/carbon/jury are locked away). FINANCIAL/POLITICAL PRESSURE IS PHYSICAL CONFINEMENT (the budget is forced into a tight, restricted space).
Practice
Quiz
In an environmental science context, 'sequestration' most commonly refers to: