sep·a·ra·ble
ˈse-p(ə-)rə-bəl 
1
: capable of being separated or dissociated
separable parts
2
obsolete
: causing separation
separableness
noun
sep·a·ra·bil·i·ty
ˌsep(ə)rəˈbilətē
-lətē,
-i
: the quality or state of being separable
separability of the nuclear motion from the electronic motion in molecules—
L. M. Branscomb
L. M. Branscombconsider … the separability of the provision from the remainder of the statute—R. W. Ginnane
R. W. GinnaneExamples of separable in a Sentence
Adjective
His religious and political beliefs are not always separable from each other.
the outdated belief that the atom is the smallest particle of matter and is not separable
Recent Examples on the Web
Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes.com, 13 May 2026
If the creation of fiction is a layered endeavor—if premise, plot, style, and so on are to some extent separable—then must all the layers be made by the same individual?
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Weather and climate aren’t easily separable, though, and never have been.
—Michelle Nijhuis, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Whatever investigators ultimately conclude about the D.C. suspect’s motive, the reported timeline in this case features two separable decisions: entry during the Biden-era airlift and an asylum grant in April 2025 under Trump.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for separable
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Adjective
The question of how a 62-year-old redesigns their professional life is not separable from the question of whether the society around them has built the infrastructure — in healthcare, in workforce policy, in financial planning models — to support that redesign.
—Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes.com, 13 May 2026
If the creation of fiction is a layered endeavor—if premise, plot, style, and so on are to some extent separable—then must all the layers be made by the same individual?
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Weather and climate aren’t easily separable, though, and never have been.
—Michelle Nijhuis, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Whatever investigators ultimately conclude about the D.C. suspect’s motive, the reported timeline in this case features two separable decisions: entry during the Biden-era airlift and an asylum grant in April 2025 under Trump.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for separable
Cite this Entry
“Separable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/separable. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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