1. to break up or divide into smaller, often competing groups or factions
Usage: transitive or intransitive; often used in political, social, or organizational contexts

Examples

• The political party began to fractionalize as members disagreed over key policies.
• Internal disputes threatened to fractionalize the organization into separate groups.
• Economic inequality can fractionalize a society along class lines.
• The coalition fractionalizes when its members pursue conflicting interests.
• Leadership struggles fractionalised the once-unified movement.
• Competing ideologies fractionalised the alliance into smaller factions.