divest

verb

di·vest | \ dī-ˈvest

, də-\

divested; divesting; divests

Definition of divest

1a : 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

Other Words from divest Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about divest

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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."

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 on the Web

Gods & Monsters Assassin’s Creed’s dabbled in mythology for its last two iterations, but Ubisoft’s new game Gods & Monsters divests itself of human history entirely. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "Ubisoft's biggest E3 2019 announcements: Watch Dogs Legion, Rainbow Six Quarantine, Uplay+," 10 June 2019 Both Disney and Comcast are willing to divest the regional sports networks should the government require. — Edmund Lee, New York Times, "With Two Suitors for Fox, the Murdochs Consider Next Steps," 18 June 2018 More than two dozen states have passed laws opposing a movement to boycott, divest and sanction Israel over its treatment of Palestinians—but federal courts are split on whether the laws violate the First Amendment. — Michelle Hackman, WSJ, "State Efforts to Quell Israel Boycott Movement Raise Free-Speech Objections," 15 May 2019 Essie pressures corporations to divest from the prison industry, and recently Google and Facebook banned ads for bail bonds on their platforms. — Alicia Garza, Marie Claire, "Alicia Garza on How Women Are Battling Mass Incarceration," 30 Apr. 2019 The president and vice president’s spouses and minor children would also be required to divest assets that could be a conflict of interest. — Ella Nilsen, Vox, "House Democrats’ sweeping anti-corruption bill HR 1 is getting a Senate companion.," 18 Dec. 2018 More companies are implementing more frequent and rigorous portfolio reviews, which identify underperforming or non-core assets and divesting businesses that no longer fit with the strategy. — Polina Marinova, Fortune, "Term Sheet -- Friday, June 8," 8 June 2018 Analysts expect Marathon Oil to divest more Gulf holdings. — Collin Eaton, Houston Chronicle, "Private companies investing in Gulf as Wall Street turns its back," 3 May 2018 Where Mademoiselle was reinvigorated by collecting and deacquisitioning lovers, Karl sheds his skin from time to time by divesting himself of houses and collections of priceless things. — Kennedy Fraser, Vogue, "From the Archives: Karl Lagerfeld, The Impresario," 19 Feb. 2019

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.