halve

verb

ˈhav 

ˈhäv

halved; halving

transitive verb

1

a

: to divide into two equal parts

b

: to reduce to one half

halving the present cost

c

: to share equally

2

golf : to play (a hole, round, or match) in the same number of strokes as one's opponent

I lost the next two holes to pars, then halved the fourth by missing an easy putt.

—David Owen

Examples of halve in a Sentence

The store is halving the price of many summer items.

Recent Examples on the Web

But over the last five weeks of the season, that OPS doubled and chase rate nearly halved. — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

And Yoox achieved growth for the first time since the acquisition, and halved its loss. — David Moin, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026

This hearty meal for two, with no cooking required, is made of a mountain of radicchio, iceberg, red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, salami, provolone cheese and chickpeas and tossed in a tangy red wine oregano vinaigrette. — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

If the projections are accurate, the CDU has halved its share of voters while the AfD doubled theirs. — Esme Nicholson, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from half half

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for halve

• calve
• have
• nav
• mohave

Kids Definition

halve

verb

ˈhav 

ˈhȧv

halved; halving

1

: to divide into two halves

2

: to reduce to one half

halving the cost