divide 1 of 2

Definition of dividenext
1
2
as in to separate
to go or move in different directions from a central point The group divided based on those who wanted to go swimming and those who didn't.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to polarize
to cause (people) to break up into opposing groups Opinions about the war divided people who are otherwise likeminded.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

divide

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word divide distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of divide are divorce, part, separate, sever, and sunder. While all these words mean "to become or cause to become disunited or disjointed," divide implies separating into pieces or sections by cutting or breaking.

civil war divided the nation

In what contexts can divorce take the place of divide?

The words divorce and divide are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, divorce implies separating two things that commonly interact and belong together.

cannot divorce scientific research from moral responsibility

When can part be used instead of divide?

While in some cases nearly identical to divide, part implies the separating of things or persons in close union or association.

vowed never to part

When would separate be a good substitute for divide?

In some situations, the words separate and divide are roughly equivalent. However, 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

When might sever be a better fit than divide?

The words sever and divide can be used in similar contexts, but sever implies violence especially in the removal of a part or member.

a severed limb

When is sunder a more appropriate choice than divide?

While the synonyms sunder and divide are close in meaning, sunder suggests violent rending or wrenching apart.

a city sundered by racial conflict

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 divide
Verb
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates divided the lives of men into only four stages, a number that mirrored the four humors and the four elements. Shayla Love, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026 For round two, the remaining nominees were divided into small groups for qualitative assessment. David Spiegel, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
Pollan traces this divide back to Galileo, who popularized the idea that science should concern itself with what can be measured and mathematically described. Shelby Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026 The latest survey also shows a fierce partisan divide. Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for divide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divide
Verb
  • Bridgeman pocketed $4 million on Sunday while Sepp Straka and Brian Harman split the last-place share of $51,000.
    Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
  • For this service they were allegedly paid $60,000 to split among themselves.
    Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The Stone Age markings and protocuneiform appear to be similarly complex, despite being separated by some tens of thousands of years and considerable distance.
    Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2026
  • The dark basaltic expanse of Mare Serenitatis (the Sea of Serenity), will rest close to the line separating night from day, known as the terminator, marking the site where ancient lava flows poured into impact basins in the ancient past to repave the lunar surface.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • After five years of planning work, zoning disputes and legal challenges, Interfaith Sanctuary’s new shelter on State Street is ready for guests to move in, the organization announced Friday.
    Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Anthropic isn’t the only company under threat from this dispute, said Connor.
    Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The Clintons' rise to power paralleled the explosion of talk radio as a political force, with Rush Limbaugh using his daily show as a platform to constantly berate the White House.
    STEVEN SLOAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Arkansas Online, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Slowing price rises and higher foreign exchange reserves had prompted predictions of a larger rate cut to shore up growth in one of Africa’s biggest economies.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Carvalho had greenlighted an artificial intelligence chatbot, named Ed and represented by a smiling sun, for LAUSD students, families and teachers that quietly was disconnected three months after its release in 2024.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Small summer restaurants and dwellings carved into the rock faces complete a dreamy picture, where the purity of the landscape makes Palmarola an almost sacred place to disconnect.
    Micol Passariello, Architectural Digest, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Their hair — Gyllenhaal’s a chocolate brown shade and Buckley’s a butter blond mix — was trimmed chin length and parted on opposite sides of their heads.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
  • After a disappointing second-round defeat at the Australian Open last month, Raducanu parted company with her coach, Francisco Roig.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The fire department has advised residents to look for signs that their properties may have been damaged or are at risk of collapse, such as cracks in bulging walls, fissures and stuck doors and windows.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
  • From there, head over to the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site with stunning interlocking basalt stone columns that are the result of a volcanic fissure eruption that took place in the Paleogene period (around 60 million years ago).
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Tkachuk timed an offseason surgery on the adductor muscle to recover and arrive in peak shape for the Olympics.
    Chris Kudialis, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Welcome to Hong Kong, where the outdoors is fervently celebrated, from peak to harbor, plate to palette.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Divide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divide. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.

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