cleavage

noun

ˈklē-vij How to pronounce cleavage (audio)
Definition of cleavagenext
as in split
the act or process of a whole separating into two or more parts or pieces the cleavages of an egg as an embryo develops

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 cleavage Dominique is in the ensemble as is a blond rube named Hunter (Kristine Froseth) who shows up at Elle’s doorstep in mall-wear denim and then upgrades to desperate, cleavage-baring sequins. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 The sheer style featured silver and multicolored sequins, while the cut showed plenty of cleavage. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026 Triangle bralettes work especially well on smaller chests because their plunging neckline highlights the cleavage, while racerback styles create a closer, more secure fit. — Malia Griggs, Glamour, 1 June 2026 This time around, instead of cleavage and double entendres, Sweeney was all smiles in a modest, casual look on the beach. — Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cleavage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleavage
  1. split
  2. dissolution
  3. breakup
  4. partition
  5. division
  6. separation
Noun
  • Che then turned to Noem’s split this week from Bryon Noem, to whom she had been married since 1992.
    — William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Appended to the tweet, perhaps to illustrate how fresh the split is, Zilis included a screen capture of an apparent text message exchange between the two with the date of September 24.
    — Kahina Sekkaï, Vanity Fair, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of split
Noun
  • Good Housekeeping tested dissolution in both warm and cold and found every sheet dissolved completely during a full wash cycle.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Good Housekeeping tested sheet dissolution in both warm and cold water.
    — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of dissolution
Noun
  • Kansas safety Taylor Davis had two pass breakups, marking a new career high, while also adding his second career tackle for loss.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
  • On Friday, Shivon Zilis, the Canadian artificial intelligence engineer who has four children with Elon Musk, announced their breakup on X, the social media network Musk bought in 2022.
    — Kahina Sekkaï, Vanity Fair, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of breakup
Noun
  • Even Doom‘s famous binary-space partition trees can be broken down into SQL using a sort_key for objects that’s pre-computed for each position at load time.
    — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Upon decampment, the drowsy drinker is met with one final chance to imbibe, at the outside window, its sliding partition reminiscent of a Mister Softee’s.
    — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of partition
Noun
  • Europe’s struggle to build a trillion-dollar market-cap company has been on the mind of Peter Koerte, CEO of Siemens’s Smart Infrastructure division—the most profitable of Siemens’s four core businesses.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Chourio hit a two-run single off hard-throwing Mason Miller with two outs in the ninth inning as the Brewers rallied past the San Diego Padres for the second straight day, a 4-3 victory Sunday for a 2-0 NL division series lead.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of division
Noun
  • With a little bit of separation from the shocking and utterly devastating news of Dolly the late singer’s death, a clearer view of what actually happened to Parton is starting to emerge.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Beyond the trauma of the family’s separation, Nick and Rebekah are also still paying off the financial cost of his lost freedom.
    — Kate Payne, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of separation

Browse Nearby Words

clear (up)
cleavage
cleavages
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cleavage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleavage. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cleavage

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cleavage

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