1
as in divides
to set or force apart
we tried to separate the gluey pages, but they were stuck tight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in parts
to go or move in different directions from a central point
the searchers separated in order to cover more ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in classifies
to arrange or assign according to type
separate the students by reading ability
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in isolates
to set or keep apart from others
separated the injured calf from the herd
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in differentiates
to understand or point out the difference in
trying to separate science from religion on one specific point
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 separates
Keepy-uppies with those on you really separates the men from the boys.
—
Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
There is a quality that separates organizations that find a way from those that don't.
—Chris Rosenberg, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
At the back of the property, a wrought-iron fence separates the yard from the creek that gives Winding Creek Road its name.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2026
Sigalet separates his clients into two categories.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Do Your Research Beforehand Nothing separates a prepared interviewer from an unprepared one faster than the first few minutes of conversation.
—King Holder, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2026
The system separates high-level intelligence from low-level motion control.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026
One interesting feature is the merging of the English and Non-English language lists, whereas Netflix separates the two.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 3 June 2026
Not the musical act but the ineluctable, relentless passage of time that is all that separates us from the grave.
—Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
There is a quality that separates organizations that find a way from those that don't.
—Chris Rosenberg, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
At the back of the property, a wrought-iron fence separates the yard from the creek that gives Winding Creek Road its name.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2026
Sigalet separates his clients into two categories.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Do Your Research Beforehand Nothing separates a prepared interviewer from an unprepared one faster than the first few minutes of conversation.
—King Holder, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2026
The system separates high-level intelligence from low-level motion control.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026
One interesting feature is the merging of the English and Non-English language lists, whereas Netflix separates the two.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 3 June 2026
Not the musical act but the ineluctable, relentless passage of time that is all that separates us from the grave.
—Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for separates
Verb
-
About 400,000 people living along the border that divides the Southeast Asian countries have been evacuated in the latest flare-up.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
9 Dec. 2025
-
The map divides Indianapolis into four congressional districts.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Later, Hamilton parts the sea on his kick scooter, speedily escaping from the hectic press area.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Many investors assume gold and silver are taxed the same way as stocks and bonds, but the IRS classifies these assets differently.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
The World Health Organization (WHO) formally classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon caused by chronic, unmanaged workplace stress.—
Nakisha Dixon,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
This solid layer isolates the reactive processes, stopping leaks and stabilizing the cell during high-energy cycles.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
-
The new data isolates the totals for season two and shows huge improvements year to year, particularly through the middle of the season.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Correspondent Adam Yamaguchi looks at what differentiates the Japanese diet.—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
What differentiates misophonia from simply wanting to snatch that bag of chips away from your crunching housemate?—
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Cross those two dimensions — how far an idea travels across knowledge domains, how cheaply it is checked — and the future splits four ways.—
Christian Catalini,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
The show, created by Taylor Sheridan, splits filming between Montana and North Texas, where the region stands in for New York City.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Verification philosophy also diverges sharply.—
Maysam Ghovanloo,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 May 2026
-
RedNotes users This is where WorkBuddy diverges sharply from many Western counterparts.—
Vivian Toh,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Shortly after qualifying, Gilbert spoke with CBS News Miami's Jim DeFede and argued that his experience leading Miami Gardens and serving on the Miami-Dade County Commission distinguishes him from the rest of the field.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
-
Something leaves her, something that distinguishes a living butterfly from a dead one.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Separates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/separates. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
