as in splits
the act or process of a whole separating into two or more parts or pieces
the cleavages of an egg as an embryo develops
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Recent Examples of cleavages
The cartoonist and journalist Joe Sacco has made a career of rescuing history from the cleavages of memory.
—
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Intelligence agencies in the United States and other Western countries closely follow these cleavages, of course, and can sometimes recruit the disaffected or the ambitious to provide insider information.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Intelligence agencies in the United States and other Western countries closely follow these cleavages, of course, and can sometimes recruit the disaffected or the ambitious to provide insider information.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleavages
Noun
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Evan Carter will not start on opening day, replaced in the lineup by Sam Haggerty, who has tremendous splits against lefties.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
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The splits are designed to simplify Honeywell’s operating structures and create financial flexibility, according to the company.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Bitter divisions among House and Senate Republicans, however, ultimately sank the Senate's attempt to bring the impasse to an end.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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Meta also slashed headcount across its Facebook, global operations, recruiting, sales and Reality Labs divisions last week, CNBC reported.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There could be more dissolutions and consolidations in the future.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
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The drama that sometimes follows their dissolutions speaks to a broader uncertainty in the air about how gay couples should be.—
Paul McAdory,
Them.,
9 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Combined with its strong fire-resistant properties, these mechanical characteristics make the material particularly well-suited for interior applications such as wall systems, partitions, and other internal fittings, where both safety and durability are critical.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Mar. 2026
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The Mission patients were separated from other patients only by plastic partitions, according to the CMS records.—
Andrew Jones,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Dixon produced 20 tackles and six pass breakups in his lone campaign with the Tar Heels.—
Mike Kaye
March 24,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2026
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The Florida native was fourth on the team with 56 tackles as well as four pass breakups and two interceptions.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The history of religion, with its thousands of schisms and reformations, is full of pilgrims who, rather than discard their relationship with their sacred text, have found purpose, clarity, and community through defiance.—
Séamas O'Reilly,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
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Ferrante’s portrait of these schisms is exquisite, detailing all the jealousies and insecurities that can thrive in a friendship between two bright ambitious women.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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During the 43 day shutdown last fall, TSA experienced a 25% increase in officer separations compared to that same time the year before, TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said during a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing in which lawmakers addressed the impacts of the shutdown.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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ProPublica followed multiple families through their sudden separations — examining the moment itself and its aftermath — and found a wide variety of outcomes for the children.—
Jeff Ernsthausen,
ProPublica,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleavages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleavages. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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