severable

adjective

sev·​er·​able ˈsev-rə-bəl How to pronounce severable (audio)
ˈse-və-
: capable of being severed
especially : capable of being divided into legally independent rights or obligations
severability noun

Examples of severable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The people of Gaza must understand that not only is the fate of Gaza severable from that of Hamas, but that the intense impoverishment of Gazans wrought by Hamas does not have to continue. TIME, 15 Oct. 2023 If any provision of these terms of use shall be unlawful, void or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from these terms of use and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. Foreign Affairs, 7 June 2017 Each provision of this Agreement is severable from every other provision of this Agreement. oregonlive, 26 Jan. 2023 The new plan solves severable problems. Rory Smith, New York Times, 4 Dec. 2020 If so, this pattern would effectively be an instantiation of Biden’s messaging—much of the campaign was spent insisting that Trump is an aberration severable from the Republican Party as a whole and that Biden would be able to work with the GOP once elected. Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 16 Nov. 2020 If any provision of this Agreement shall be unlawful, void or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from this Agreement and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. disneytermsofuse.com, 9 June 2020 The draft is severable, meaning that if one part of the ordinance is found unconstitutional, the rest can remain legal. Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2021 That is, the theory that if the mandate is not severable from the rest of Obamacare, and the mandate is void, the rest of the statute has to go. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 17 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'severable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of severable was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near severable

Cite this Entry

“Severable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/severable. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Legal Definition

severable

adjective
sev·​er·​able ˈse-vrə-bəl, ˈse-və-rə- How to pronounce severable (audio)
: capable of being severed : divisible
a severable contract
a severable bequest
compare entire

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