sever

verb

sev·​er ˈse-vər How to pronounce sever (audio)
severed; severing ˈsev-riŋ How to pronounce sever (audio)
ˈse-və-

transitive verb

: to put or keep apart : divide
especially : to remove (something, such as a part) by or as if by cutting

intransitive verb

: to become separated
Choose the Right Synonym for sever

separate, part, divide, sever, sunder, divorce mean to become or cause to become disunited or disjointed.

separate may imply any of several causes such as dispersion, removal of one from others, or presence of an intervening thing.

separated her personal life from her career

part implies the separating of things or persons in close union or association.

vowed never to part

divide implies separating into pieces or sections by cutting or breaking.

civil war divided the nation

sever implies violence especially in the removal of a part or member.

a severed limb

sunder suggests violent rending or wrenching apart.

a city sundered by racial conflict

divorce implies separating two things that commonly interact and belong together.

cannot divorce scientific research from moral responsibility

Examples of sever in a Sentence

He severed the lowest tree limbs. His finger was severed in the accident. Activists are asking the government to sever all diplomatic relations with the country.
Recent Examples on the Web The outlet revealed the network severed ties with Schneider after the ViacomCBS investigation. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 19 Mar. 2024 Bahrain has seen anti-Israeli protests, and its toothless parliament passed a symbolic resolution about severing ties with Israel, but its regime has ignored all that. Gregg Carlstrom, Foreign Affairs, 6 Mar. 2024 But in certain cases, the knife can sever or damage the nerves and tendons in your hand, which typically requires surgery and, in some cases, multiple weeks of physical therapy. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 4 Mar. 2024 McConnell acted as the GOP Senate leader during Trump’s presidency, but the relationship was severed following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The Courier-Journal, 2 Mar. 2024 Monica's attorneys had previously attempted to have her case severed from Baker's, which the judge denied. Gabriella Demirdjian, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2024 The shutdown of some of Change's operations has severed its digital role connecting providers with insurers in submitting bills and receiving payments. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2024 The war in Ukraine has severed Russia from the West to a significant degree, but there remain critical linkages that serve the Kremlin’s aims. Max Bergmann, Foreign Affairs, 6 Mar. 2024 The attack, however, severed the lines between the mast and the substation situated an hour’s drive east of downtown Berlin, causing backup systems to fail. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French severer, from Latin separare — more at separate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of sever was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sever

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

sever

verb
sev·​er ˈsev-ər How to pronounce sever (audio)
severed; severing -(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce sever (audio)
1
: to put or keep apart : divide
especially : to cut off or through
2
: to come or break apart

Legal Definition

sever

transitive verb
sev·​er ˈse-vər How to pronounce sever (audio)
severed; severing
1
: to end (a joint tenancy) by ending one or all of the unities of time, title, possession, or interest (as by conveying one tenant's interest to another party)
2
: to separate (as a contract) into different parts (as independent obligations) in order to treat each separately
3
a
: to try (criminal offenses or defendants) separately in order to avoid prejudice
b
: to split (a criminal trial) into multiple trials in order to avoid prejudice
c
: to try (civil claims or issues pleaded in the same case) separately
severance noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sever

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