Synonyms of sever

sever

verb

ˈse-vər 

as in to separate

to set or force apart

disapproving parents who were willing to do anything to sever the young lovers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• separate
• divide
• split
• disconnect
• resolve
• dissociate
• sunder
• dissever
• disassociate
• uncouple
• isolate
• decouple
• detach
• pull
• disunite
• unlink
• ramify
• disjoin
• divorce
• part
• disjoint
• dissect
• dissolve
• break up
• cleave
• decompose
• unyoke
• subdivide
• bifurcate
• disintegrate
• fragment
• tear
• rip
• halve
• bisect
• segment
• segregate
• quarter
• rend
• rupture
• fracture
• disassemble
• break down
• break
• fractionate
• partition
• rift
• unravel
• dichotomize
• cut off
• insulate
• untie
• disentangle
• rive
• disengage
• trisect
• fragmentate
• fractionalize
• fragmentize
• seclude
• sequester

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unite
• join
• link
• combine
• unify
• connect
• associate
• mix
• couple
• assemble
• mingle
• blend
• bind
• attach
• close
• stick
• accumulate
• fasten
• fuse
• knit
• weld
• cement
• agglutinate

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sever distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of sever are divide, divorce, part, separate, and sunder. While all these words mean "to become or cause to become disunited or disjointed," sever implies violence especially in the removal of a part or member.

a severed limb

When might divide be a better fit than sever?

The synonyms divide and sever are sometimes interchangeable, but divide implies separating into pieces or sections by cutting or breaking.

civil war divided the nation

When is it sensible to use divorce instead of sever?

The meanings of divorce and sever largely overlap; however, divorce implies separating two things that commonly interact and belong together.

cannot divorce scientific research from moral responsibility

When could part be used to replace sever?

In some situations, the words part and sever are roughly equivalent. However, 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 sever?

The words separate and sever are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 can sunder be used instead of sever?

While in some cases nearly identical to sever, sunder suggests violent rending or wrenching apart.

a city sundered by racial conflict

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sever

According to officials, 31-year-old Brittany Clark, of Orlando, was swimming in the river when the alligator bit both of her arms and severed one. — Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 1 July 2026

The leading interpretation is that Smilodon delivered a single precise bite to the throat or belly, severing something vital in a target that was already helpless. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Syracuse’s downtown, already severed by the interstate highway, withered. — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026

The workers' group opposes Ryder's Law, which will sever the main income source for many of the heavily immigrant owners and drivers. — Andrea Sachs The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 28 June 2026