divestiture

noun

di·​ves·​ti·​ture dī-ˈve-stə-ˌchu̇r How to pronounce divestiture (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There definitely is pent up demand for mergers and acquisitions as well as divestitures. Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025 International sales part of sluggish performance P&G’s cuts come after its 2024 organic sales growth (which excludes the impact of foreign exchange, acquisitions and divestitures) slowed to a seven-year low. Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025 In Tuesday’s complaint, the FTC asked the court to end the agreement and weigh a potential divestiture of assets. Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025 Trump signed an executive order Thursday putting his stamp of approval on the deal, declaring that the terms of the agreement fulfill the requirements for a divestiture under the law. Julia Shapero, The Hill, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for divestiture

Word History

Etymology

divest + -iture (as in investiture)

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of divestiture was in 1601

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Divestiture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divestiture. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Legal Definition

divestiture

noun
di·​ves·​ti·​ture dī-ˈves-ti-ˌchu̇r, də-, -chər How to pronounce divestiture (audio)
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
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