bifurcate

verb

Definition of bifurcatenext
as in to subdivide
formal to undergo division into two parts The stream bifurcated into two narrow winding channels.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bifurcate Levanon’s reading of the labor data is that the economy is bifurcating in a specific and underreported way. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 16 May 2026 However, beneath the surface, Cramer said the market has become increasingly bifurcated, with investors piling into a narrow group of artificial intelligence winners while severely punishing companies that disappoint or simply fail to impress. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 11 May 2026 Defendants misleading sales and advertising practices, along with bifurcating sales and marketing against the operation of the rental Program and debt enforcement, allowed Defendants to offload their supply of aging and stagnant inventory at an unlawful premium. — Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 13 Apr. 2026 Now we’re bifurcated, with roughly a third of our households not meeting self-sufficiency standards, and more than a third achieving wealth that was unimaginable a generation ago. — Russell Hancock, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bifurcate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bifurcate
  1. subdivide
  2. split
  3. divide
  4. separate
  5. segment
Verb
  • The developers plan to subdivide the land into 25 lots for 20 market rate homes and five homes to be reserved as affordable for lower-income residents.
    — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
  • The land is around 28 acres and would be subdivided into four separate lots for the rentals with 248 multi-family units across 11 buildings.
    — Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2026
Definition of subdivide
Verb
  • While Sebastiaan Bornauw was staying wide on the right of the back three, Trafford came out to split Tarik Muharemovic and Jaka Bijol, offering them a passing option.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The admission, an aside in a wide-ranging interview, raised eyebrows in the recovery community given the star’s very public embrace of sobriety after joining a 12-step program following his 2016 split from wife Angelina Jolie.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of split
Verb
  • More than ever, colleges and universities are divided over how to respond in what are likely to be no-win contests.
    — David Wippman, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Union households support the measure, while non-union families are evenly divided about it.
    — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of divide
Verb
  • For the first time, two worlds—once separated—are coming face to face, not through screams, but through laughter.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The couple separated in 1981, and their divorce was finalized in 1983.
    — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of separate
Verb
  • The results will help segment POTS patients into more granular cohorts based on the source of their symptoms, rather than lumping them all together as Simo says the medical industry often does today.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But traditional toys also showed strength, with the consumer products segment up 5%.
    — Joan Verdon, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of segment

Browse Nearby Words

bifocals
bifurcate
bifurcated
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Bifurcate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bifurcate. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zeugma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All