as in to subdivide
formal
to undergo division into two parts
The stream bifurcated into two narrow winding channels.
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Recent Examples of bifurcate
While designing the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain, in the 1990s, the architect would sit by the river that bifurcates the city, looking at different metal treatments.
—
Belinda Luscombe, Time, 6 Dec. 2025
America’s economy has been increasingly bifurcated for quite some time – with the exception of a few years following the pandemic.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
Looking ahead, Rees said the North American consumer is bifurcated, with highly affluent shoppers in great financial shape and a large portion of customers at the lower end who are super cautious about their spending and buying closer to need.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
Braude described Gaza’s reality as bifurcated.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bifurcate
Belinda Luscombe, Time, 6 Dec. 2025
America’s economy has been increasingly bifurcated for quite some time – with the exception of a few years following the pandemic.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
Looking ahead, Rees said the North American consumer is bifurcated, with highly affluent shoppers in great financial shape and a large portion of customers at the lower end who are super cautious about their spending and buying closer to need.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
Braude described Gaza’s reality as bifurcated.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bifurcate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bifurcate
Verb
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Then came waves of railroad workers—Scandinavian, Irish, especially—renting rooms in an ever-altering house, subdivided into two units, then three; even the house number changed..—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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The original 37-acre La Questa Vineyard, subdivided into three parcels, survived its ravages.—
Laura Ness,
Mercury News,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Proposition 50 also split the sprawling district held by Kiley, a Republican from Rocklin, into six pieces, leaving the Northern California congressman and frequent Newsom critic with few good options.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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However, in the aftermath of their legendary Woodstock performance, Country Joe and the Fish split up, and McDonald embarked on his own solo career beginning with 1969’s Thinking of Woody Guthrie, a collection of songs by the folk legend.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Party strategists in both camps acknowledge that a prolonged and bitter runoff could leave Republicans divided heading into the fall.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
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Committee members were split on proposals to close schools — divided between the belief that campuses with few students burden staff and provide limited resources, and the worry that combining small schools will create overcrowding, split communities and harm students.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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According to his family’s attorney, Nikolas De Bremaeker, the boy was separated from the medical devices during the deportation process.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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The line separating the two is blurry, as both star types experience winds and ejecta before dying.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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If a judge overturned Tuesday’s court ruling to extend polling place times, the provisional ballots would help election officials segment out votes cast after polls were originally scheduled to close.—
Jamie Landers,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
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Would Brzezinski want the full-time role, which would require segmenting his time from his area of expertise, the salary cap?—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bifurcate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bifurcate. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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