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divide

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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
That blockade divided the Gulf Cooperation Council and fueled proxy warfare and political competition across the region. Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 12 May 2025 Standard protocol is 60% goes to the winner and the rest is divided among second-through-fifth-place finishers. Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 12 May 2025
Noun
Hotz: Investing in social prescribing bridges divides, offering a bipartisan solution to address issues important to people across the political spectrum. Jessica Dulong, CNN Money, 12 May 2025 This great technological advance leapfrogged America a hundred years into the future and fast-tracked the elimination of the cultural divide among the many nationalities, races, and faiths across America. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for divide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divide
Verb
  • After a tumultuous on-and-off-again relationship, Tran and Brown officially split in late 2014.
    Alex Heigl, People.com, 16 May 2025
  • The song was released in 1973, only a few years after The Beatles split, highlighting how quickly the two reconnected.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Cosmos 482 separated into four pieces, two of which remained in Earth's low orbit and decayed within 48 hours, and the other two pieces went into a higher orbit.
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 11 May 2025
  • Let the chicken cool completely before storing it in the fridge, and separate the meat from the bones for easier reheating.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • But that same morning, the party suffered a setback that may be more consequential: losing control of the state board that sets voting rules and adjudicates election disputes.
    Doug Bock Clark, ProPublica, 16 May 2025
  • If not, the consumer can file a dispute with the credit card issuer, Kiernan said.
    Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • These accomplishments underscore Orlando’s rise as a national economic powerhouse and highlight its potential to lead the country in innovation, opportunity, and inclusive development for years to come.
    Tim Giuliani, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 May 2025
  • The Queen abdicated her position in January 2024 on the 52nd anniversary of her rise to the throne, becoming the first Danish royal to voluntarily do so in almost 900 years.
    Jillian Frankel, People.com, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025
  • This ensures the event is as impactful and memorable as possible, rather than disconnected from the rest of your organization’s work.
    Dr. Kyle Elliott, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • One of her sons, 11-year-old Yusuf, his head heavily bandaged, screamed in grief as the shroud of his younger sibling was parted to show his face.
    MOHAMMAD JAHJOUH, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
  • His parting gift might be to broaden some of its horizons, too, and that legacy would extend well beyond his departure.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • But his return to center stage—or at least his self-invitation to it—is showing the fissures in a party that hasn’t fully decided if Biden is friend or foe, the party elder who stepped aside or the has-been who didn’t know when to exit.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 8 May 2025
  • This case exposes a wide fissure in the foundation.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • Shares have cooled off in 2025 but are still up a few percentage points since the Feb. 19 market peak.
    Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
  • As Pluto retrogrades in Aquarius, the potential for shocking revelations is at its peak.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 3 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Divide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divide. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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