divestiture

noun

di·​ves·​ti·​ture dī-ˈve-stə-ˌchu̇r 

-chər,

də-,

 chiefly Southern  -t(y)u̇(ə)r

1

: the act of divesting

2

: the compulsory transfer of title or disposal of interests (such as stock in a corporation) upon government order

Examples of divestiture in a Sentence

Divestitures are used to break up monopolies.

Before divestiture, the telephone company monopolized the state.

Recent Examples on the Web

News Corp, meanwhile, has print and digital advertising concerns to focus on, leaving the door open to potential mergers or divestitures. —Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

The proposal reserves the right to force a divestiture of the rest of DFP if necessary to open this market. —Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 7 Sep. 2025

O’Neill said the bank left the Boise market as part of its divestitures after the 2008 financial crisis. —Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2025

Results will eventually be helped by the divestiture of its Products & Healthcare Services unit in the second half, the company said. —Fred Imbert, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

divest + -iture (as in investiture)

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for divestiture

• investiture
• vestiture

Legal Definition

divestiture

noun

di·​ves·​ti·​ture dī-ˈves-ti-ˌchu̇r, də-, -chər 

1

: the sale or transfer of title to a property (as an operating division) under court order (as in bankruptcy)

2

: the sale of an asset (as a business division) that is unprofitable, does not enhance a corporate restructuring, or is felt to be morally reprehensible