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 line separating the two is blurry, as both star types experience winds and ejecta before dying.
—
Big Think, 9 Mar. 2026
While Trump officials say the current deportation surge is succeeding in rooting out dangerous criminals, immigrant advocates have decried the crackdown for separating families and sending people back to countries where their lives may be in danger.
—Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
The popular After Party toe-separating socks help relieve tension and promote natural alignment after long days on your feet.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
State officials also raised a berm along a causeway separating the north and south arms of the lake to give them control over the flow of water and salt between the two.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
March elections Supporters of March elections say that despite a potential lower turnout, there are merits to separating municipal elections from federal and state ones.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026
Johan Oviedo, Connelly Early and Payton Tolle have each delivered at least one gem, with Oviedo likely separating himself from the pack with his four-strikeout showing on Monday.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
These numbers define the harsh conditions the payload must endure before separating and reentering Earth’s atmosphere.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2026
Some tricks to slow down ripening and prevent bruising include separating bananas from the bunch, hanging them from a hook, and wrapping their stems in plastic wrap to prevent the release of ethylene gas.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2026
Big Think, 9 Mar. 2026
While Trump officials say the current deportation surge is succeeding in rooting out dangerous criminals, immigrant advocates have decried the crackdown for separating families and sending people back to countries where their lives may be in danger.
—Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
The popular After Party toe-separating socks help relieve tension and promote natural alignment after long days on your feet.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
State officials also raised a berm along a causeway separating the north and south arms of the lake to give them control over the flow of water and salt between the two.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
March elections Supporters of March elections say that despite a potential lower turnout, there are merits to separating municipal elections from federal and state ones.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026
Johan Oviedo, Connelly Early and Payton Tolle have each delivered at least one gem, with Oviedo likely separating himself from the pack with his four-strikeout showing on Monday.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
These numbers define the harsh conditions the payload must endure before separating and reentering Earth’s atmosphere.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2026
Some tricks to slow down ripening and prevent bruising include separating bananas from the bunch, hanging them from a hook, and wrapping their stems in plastic wrap to prevent the release of ethylene gas.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for separating
Verb
-
Soon, there could be military boots on the ground crossing into the Islamic Republic of Iran from this terrain of fertile valleys, deep gorges and ancient Mesopotamian trade routes perched below the mountainous border dividing Iraq and Iran.—
Younes Mohammad,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
-
If taking higher doses (500–1000 mg or more), consider dividing the dose in two, taken at separate meals.—
Sara Hoffman,
Verywell Health,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Wilson gave it soft yet sculptural waves that conveyed the retro 1920s and 1930s theme of the night, deeply parting it to the side to give it some extra drama.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Before the preliminary hearing was over, Trevino had parting words for Riera.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
An officer wrote a report this week, classifying it as fourth-degree intentional damage to property, after receiving information last month.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The industry says classifying EWA as a loan could have the perverse effect of sending consumers back to higher-cost, risky alternatives such as payday loans or pawn shops by imposing unnecessary restrictions, such as mandatory fees, interest charges and credit reporting requirements.—
Cheryl Winokur Munk,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Venus’s alignment with Saturn kicks the day off on an isolating note.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Iran’s retaliation is isolating Tehran and angering its Mideast neighbors.—
Marissa Martinez,
NBC news,
5 Mar. 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 players.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Younger students learned how produce is grown and practiced differentiating between fruits and vegetables before getting a chance to pick from a variety of items to take home at no cost.—
Del Mar Times,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The move comes after nearly every Democratic candidate refused party leaders’ call last week to withdraw from the race to avoid splitting the vote in the June primary — an outcome that could lead to a Republican being elected to statewide office for the first time in two decades.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Now the district is splitting those roles and searching for a new head coach as Celina moves up from 4A to 5A this fall.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The firms had argued the orders unconstitutionally punished them for diverging with the administration and for upholding their clients' right to legal counsel.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Their genetics, as this new discovery shows, have been quietly diverging even when their bodies haven’t.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But other bolt-holes stand out for giving the beds themselves extra attention, distinguishing them in some particularly charming or even surreal way (see beds carved out of literal ice).—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Architectural Digest,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Every building has distinguishing characteristics.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Separating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/separating. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
