severance

noun

sev·​er·​ance ˈse-və-rən(t)s 

ˈsev-rən(t)s

: the act or process of severing : the state of being severed

Examples of severance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lamba said the company took a $425 million restructuring charge in the third quarter; about half was tied to severance payments, while the remainder was largely tied to addressing Lincare. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2026

Adding a wrinkle to the immediate future of LIV was a report by The Athletic that Johnson was among more than 10 players seeking severance deals from PIF worth more than $100 million in contract payments. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Excluded from the 60,000 workers eligible for severance are people who work in roles tied to data centers, cybersecurity, quantum computing, sales, and marketing, Bloomberg reported. — Liz Rappaport, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026

That totals over $600 million, not including any cash severance, a tax benefit or other perquisites. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing severance

• severance package
• severance pay
• severance tax

Rhymes for severance

• reverence
• irreverence

Kids Definition

severance

noun

sev·​er·​ance ˈsev-(ə-)rən(t)s 

: the act or process of severing : the state of being severed