cleavage

cleav·age | \ ˈklē-vij

Definition of cleavage

1a : the quality of a crystallized substance or rock of splitting along definite planes also : the occurrence of such splitting

b : a fragment (as of a diamond) obtained by splitting

2 : the action of cleaving or splitting : the state of being cleft

3 : the series of synchronized mitotic cell divisions of a fertilized egg that results in the formation of the blastomeres and changes the single-celled zygote into a multicellular embryo also : one of these cell divisions

4 : the splitting of a molecule into simpler molecules

5 : the depression between a woman's breasts especially when made visible by a low-cut neckline

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Examples of cleavage in a Sentence

The dress is cut low enough to reveal a lot of cleavage. the cleavage between the rich and poor the cleavages of an egg as an embryo develops

Recent Examples on the Web Kylie served a major leg moment and a lot of cleavage, thanks to that low-low neckline. — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, "Kylie Jenner is Flaunting Major Cleavage in Sexy Christmas Party Dress," 16 Dec. 2019 The lack of clarity from Iowa underscored a persistent cleavage between liberal and moderate voters – not to mention overall concerns about uniting behind any candidate who can beat Trump. — John Fritze, USA TODAY, "‘Having Trump on the ballot isn’t enough’: Democrats battle to rev up enthusiasm for November," 11 Feb. 2020 Don't forget the tiara The first dress Tia Huff, 17, picked out showed too much cleavage for her mom’s liking. — Karina Bland, azcentral, "It's the prom, but more: 'Everybody deserves a happily ever after'," 11 Dec. 2019 These cleavages, which divide not only the French left but society in general, are something Emmanuel Macron had hoped to elude. — The New York Review of Books, "Sylvain Cypel," 11 Dec. 2018 The major demographic cleavages of the 2016 election also remain intact. — Nate Cohn, New York Times, "One Year From Election, Trump Trails Biden but Leads Warren in Battlegrounds," 4 Nov. 2019 There’s Malkovich in a tight pink dress seductively running a finger over his (her?) cleavage. — Washington Post, "The missing Oscars," 25 Sep. 2019 Kourtney's gown featured a deep V-cut that her serving major cleavage and a thigh-high leg slit. — Jasmine Gomez, Seventeen, "The Kardashian/Jenner Sisters All Reunited With Their Ex-Boyfriends at Their Annual Christmas Party," 26 Dec. 2019 There’s no embarrassing cleavage pouring out; just a nice silhouette. — Rebecca Brown, Glamour, "This Bra Helped Me Get My Boobs Back After Breastfeeding," 24 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cleavage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

26 Mar 2020

Cite this Entry

“Cleavage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleavage. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

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More Definitions for cleavage

cleavage

noun

English Language Learners Definition of cleavage

informal : the space between a woman's breasts especially when it can be easily seen

: a division between two things or groups

technical : the act of splitting apart

See the full definition for cleavage in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cleavage

noun

cleav·age | \ ˈklē-vij

Kids Definition of cleavage

1 : the tendency of a rock or mineral to split readily in one or more directions

2 : the action of splitting

3 : the state of being split

cleavage

noun

cleav·age | \ ˈklē-vij

Medical Definition of cleavage

1 : the series of synchronized mitotic cell divisions of the fertilized egg that results in the formation of the blastomeres and changes the single-celled zygote into a multicellular embryo also : one of these cell divisions

2 : the splitting of a molecule into simpler molecules

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