divide and conquer

idiom

variants or divide and rule
: to make a group of people disagree and fight with one another so that they will not join together against one
His military strategy is to divide and conquer.

Examples of divide and conquer in a Sentence

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.
Rothman’s two top lieutenants are Sony Motion Picture Group co-presidents Sanford Panitch and Josh Greenstein, who divide and conquer by focusing on production and marketing/distribution, respectively. Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 9 May 2025 For years, Putin has employed covert means to keep the West off balance, divide and conquer, stress its political fabric, and redirect its focus inward. Douglas London, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2022 With such a breadth of work and almost no time to do it, the production design team has to divide and conquer. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 Feb. 2025 When faced with these sorts of calls, Horvath and West divide and conquer. Helena Gunderson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for divide and conquer

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Divide and conquer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divide%20and%20conquer. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!