1
as in dividing
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 parting
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 classifying
to arrange or assign according to type
separate the students by reading ability
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in isolating
to set or keep apart from others
separated the injured calf from the herd
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in differentiating
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 separating
The palace has sought to draw a bold line separating the former prince and the rest of the monarchy by stripping him of his titles, including the right to be called a prince.
—
ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
As with any biological evidence, there can be challenges in separating DNA, etc.
—Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 21 Feb. 2026
But separating them from one another is difficult and often environmentally damaging.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
The key to achieving the effect is separating the hair into four quadrants.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
To avoid any potential mishaps, start by separating the hair into four quadrant sections.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Princess Anne married Captain Mark Phillips in November 1973, and the couple welcomed two children together, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, before separating in 1989 and divorcing in April 1992.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Binoche is Amanda Powell, a Frenchwoman living in North London with her teenage daughter Sara (Florence Hunt) after separating from her husband.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Friday’s event was not the first time the President has delivered such overtly political remarks at military venues, testing the tradition of separating the armed forces from partisan politics.
—Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 15 Feb. 2026
ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
As with any biological evidence, there can be challenges in separating DNA, etc.
—Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 21 Feb. 2026
But separating them from one another is difficult and often environmentally damaging.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
The key to achieving the effect is separating the hair into four quadrants.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
To avoid any potential mishaps, start by separating the hair into four quadrant sections.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Princess Anne married Captain Mark Phillips in November 1973, and the couple welcomed two children together, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, before separating in 1989 and divorcing in April 1992.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Binoche is Amanda Powell, a Frenchwoman living in North London with her teenage daughter Sara (Florence Hunt) after separating from her husband.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Friday’s event was not the first time the President has delivered such overtly political remarks at military venues, testing the tradition of separating the armed forces from partisan politics.
—Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for separating
Verb
-
The map keeps Salt Lake County almost entirely within one district, instead of dividing the heavily Democratic population center among all four districts, as was previously the case.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Witnesses said the plane crashed into the fence dividing two homes, prompting a gas leak.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Before the preliminary hearing was over, Trevino had parting words for Riera.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Zoom in through the dark clouds parting to reveal a figure falling face downward, clearly a female form in stiletto heels descending toward Earth.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This means OpenAI is essentially classifying the model as capable enough at coding to potentially facilitate significant cyber harm, especially if automated or used at scale.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Young Women’s Leadership Academy has students in grades 6-12 and has an 85% minority population, with 65% of total students classifying as Hispanic and 20% as African-American.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Being awake so much can be an isolating experience.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
-
While volunteering in inpatient rehabilitation, Rathna noticed how isolating long hospital stays could be.—
Nancy Badertscher,
AJC.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, my emphasis on feeling good about him off the field, or any of those issues, has to do with me not differentiating him from any of the top player.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Large and boutique operators alike are differentiating themselves through modern design, personalization, and luxe amenities aimed at an increasingly discerning clientele.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The robots were able to self-organize and divide tasks on their own, including splitting into teams to tackle separate fire outbreaks.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Although the servicing stop for the California Zephyr is too short to explore beyond the platform, Denver is a great overnight choice for passengers splitting up the 43-hour journey.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Both countries are diverging on trade, too.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The visit underscored diverging narratives about the rebuilding process in Los Angeles.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Protective planning as a long-term discipline Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of future-proof asset protection is timing.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Season 2 explores where this chaos comes from, and the difficulty in distinguishing the sheriff from the outlaw.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Separating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/separating. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
