divest

verb di·vest \ dī-ˈvest , də- \

Updated on: 9 May 2018

Definition of divest

transitive verb

1 a : to deprive or dispossess especially of property, authority, or title

divesting assets to raise capital

was divested of his rights

divesting herself of all her worldly possessions

encouraged the university to divest itself from fossil fuels

b : to undress or strip especially of clothing, ornament, or equipment

Christmas trees divested of their ornaments

c : rid, free

2 : to take away from a person

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divestment

play \-ˈves(t)-mənt\ noun

See divest defined for English-language learners

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Examples of divest in a Sentence

The company is divesting 8 of its 20 stores.
We may have to divest assets to raise capital.

Recent Examples of divest from the Web

Such bookings are tantamount to bribes, the plaintiffs argue, because Mr. Trump's refusal to divest himself from his businesses means the money paid for rooms, meeting spaces, food and drinks eventually finds its way into his pocket.

— CBS News, "Philippines is latest foreign customer to book Trump's D.C. hotel," 28 Apr. 2018
In March, Steve Wynn divested his 12 percent stake in the public company, cashing out all of his stock.

— mark arsenault, BostonGlobe.com, "Wynn Resorts has a new name for the Everett casino: Encore Boston Harbor," 27 Apr. 2018
Just as the American employment picture became more dystopian around the turn of the millennium, so too have books on careers divested themselves of the optimism of Parachute.

— rachel paige king, Longreads, "Is Your Job Lynchian, or Is It More Kafkaesque?," 26 Apr. 2018
Previous presidents have chosen to fully divest their assets.

— jonathan o'connelll and david a. fahrenthold, chicagotribune.com, "From Mueller to Stormy to 'emoluments,' legal teams aim to expose Trump Organization," 30 Mar. 2018
Kushner, upon entering the White House, divested his stake, which is now controlled by family members.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Kushner’s overseas contacts raise concerns as foreign officials seek leverage," 27 Feb. 2018
The Kushner Companies have faced broad scrutiny over possible conflicts of interest given their connections to the White House, though Jared Kushner has divested much of his personal stake in the organization.

— david z. morris, Fortune, "SEC Investigating Kushner Companies Over Cash-For-Green Cards Program," 7 Jan. 2018
In both of her shows, Waller-Bridge seems interested in exploring the ways that even sympathetic female characters can experience near-sociopathic levels of detachment, in divesting women of any vintage claims to moral or emotional superiority.

— julia felsenthal, Vogue, "For Sandra Oh, Killing Eve Was a Very Long Time Coming," 5 Apr. 2018
Bannon, who divested his stake in April, held shares worth between $1 million and $5 million, according to his White House financial disclosure form.

— kim hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, "Cambridge Analytica active in elections, big data projects for years," 22 Mar. 2018

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

Did You Know?

Divest is one of many English words that come from the Latin verb vestire (to clothe) and ultimately from the noun vestis (clothing, garment). Others include vest, vestment, invest, and travesty. Divest and its older form devest can mean to unclothe or to remove the clothing of, but the word had broader applications even when it was first being used in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the opening scene of Shakespeare's King Lear, Lear uses the term to mean rid oneself of or put aside:

"Tell me, my daughters
(Since now we will divest us both of rule,
Interest of territory, cares of state),
Which of you shall we say doth love us most?" In addition to clothing, one can be divested of power, authority, possessions, or burdens."

Origin and Etymology of divest

alteration of devest

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1623

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

divest Synonyms

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

DIVEST Defined for English Language Learners

divest

verb

Definition of divest for English Language Learners

finance : to sell (something valuable, such as property or stocks)

Law Dictionary

divest

transitive verb di·vest \ dī-ˈvest, də- \

legal Definition of divest

: to deprive or dispossess (oneself) of property through divestiture

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divestment

noun

Origin and Etymology of divest

Anglo-French devestir, literally, to undress, from Old French desvestir, from de(s)-, prefix marking reversal + vestir to dress, from Latin vestire