verb
- to divide (a region or group) into smaller, often hostile or competing units
Usage: British spelling (American: balkanizes); third-person singular present tense; often used in political or geopolitical contexts
Examples
- The civil war balkanises the country into separate ethnic enclaves.
- Economic sanctions balkanise the international community.
- Poor leadership balkanises the organization into competing departments.
- The policy balkanises the region rather than promoting cooperation.
- Ethnic tensions balkanise the formerly unified nation.
- Corporate restructuring balkanises the workforce into isolated teams.