as in divided
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as in separated
to set or force apart
disapproving parents who were willing to do anything to sever the young lovers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of severed
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Why not cauterize a severed hand, add some just-for-fun cocktail rings, and then shatter the hand’s rigid bones with a hammer or mallet, which will allow the fingers to be wrapped around a colorful ceramic mug with a holly or mistletoe motif?
—Paul Rudnick, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025
Written by Cesar Vitale, the film is about a lonely young woman (Alcock) who mistakenly receives a severed thumb in the mail.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025
Battlefield injuries, like severed limbs, are likewise rewarded with sums that most soldiers could not earn in regular jobs.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
The project, which was written by Cesar Vitale, winner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, follows a lonely woman (Alcock) who mistakenly receives a severed thumb in the mail.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Elizabeth Zavala, San Antonio Express-News, 31 Jan. 2026
Maduro’s capture removed the Cuban government’s closest ally from power and severed its supply of fuel – perhaps permanently – from the oil rich South American nation.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 29 Jan. 2026
Islamists battled for their own theocratic nation, and bands of Christian cultists—whom locals, naming them according to their most notorious act, called chop-chop—severed the heads of those deemed unholy in villages and towns across Mindanao.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
No matter that Goetz had severed Cabey’s spinal cord and permanently paralyzed him from the waist down.
—Heather Ann Thompson, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Associated Press images taken Tuesday showed the remains of the first two cars of the second train, severed from the rest of the train and lying beside the tracks.
—Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Short’s naked body had been severed at the waist with surgical precision.
—Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
The crash partially severed her legs.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Ordinary means of communication — mobile phone calls, landlines and even institutional lines — have been severed.
—Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The severed half plopped limply back into her bowl.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Why not cauterize a severed hand, add some just-for-fun cocktail rings, and then shatter the hand’s rigid bones with a hammer or mallet, which will allow the fingers to be wrapped around a colorful ceramic mug with a holly or mistletoe motif?
—Paul Rudnick, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025
Written by Cesar Vitale, the film is about a lonely young woman (Alcock) who mistakenly receives a severed thumb in the mail.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025
Battlefield injuries, like severed limbs, are likewise rewarded with sums that most soldiers could not earn in regular jobs.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
The project, which was written by Cesar Vitale, winner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, follows a lonely woman (Alcock) who mistakenly receives a severed thumb in the mail.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
The document argued that Conejo Arias and his son are lawfully detained, that the other claims should be severed and dismissed and that the court should deny the petition in its entirety.
—Elizabeth Zavala, San Antonio Express-News, 31 Jan. 2026
Maduro’s capture removed the Cuban government’s closest ally from power and severed its supply of fuel – perhaps permanently – from the oil rich South American nation.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 29 Jan. 2026
Islamists battled for their own theocratic nation, and bands of Christian cultists—whom locals, naming them according to their most notorious act, called chop-chop—severed the heads of those deemed unholy in villages and towns across Mindanao.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
No matter that Goetz had severed Cabey’s spinal cord and permanently paralyzed him from the waist down.
—Heather Ann Thompson, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Associated Press images taken Tuesday showed the remains of the first two cars of the second train, severed from the rest of the train and lying beside the tracks.
—Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Short’s naked body had been severed at the waist with surgical precision.
—Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
The crash partially severed her legs.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Ordinary means of communication — mobile phone calls, landlines and even institutional lines — have been severed.
—Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severed
Adjective
-
Under the Kansas City Police Department’s pursuit policy, chases are prohibited against traffic flow of a divided highway unless officers receive approval from a supervisor or commander and driver being pursued is trying to avoid a felony arrest.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Jan. 2026
-
While the Democratic field for governor has only become larger and more divided in recent months, the primary Republican options have remained Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and political commentator Steve Hilton.—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The pond sits about 100 feet from the house, separated by an embankment.—
Marissa Armas,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The Rockets, Lakers, Timberwolves and Suns are all separated by two games in the fourth to seventh positions.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
What frustrated her most was that the issue refused to stay resolved.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Since then, attorneys and judges have overseen multiple lenient plea deals and case dismissals, while local prosecutors reviewed hundreds of active and resolved cases that Tran investigated.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Residents of Algonquin Manor on Bradley Road saw a notice from We Energies taped to the building's front door in early October, warning that the electricity would be disconnected in a few days because of an unpaid bill.—
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
jsonline.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Once hoses are disconnected, cover outdoor spigots with insulated faucet covers.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But after a knockout loss to Gervonta Davis in 2023, the two parted ways.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Instead of crimps, Paxton's honey blonde locks were styled in romantic waves and with parted curtain bangs.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
White Sox General Manager Chris Getz said Sandlin, a 24-year-old righty who split time last year in Triple-A and Double-A, will compete for a spot in the rotation at spring training.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The Riverside County sheriff, a conservative Republican, leads recent California governor’s race polls as eight Democratic candidates split the left’s votes, a trend Matt Mahan’s entry could amplify.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In 1863, Abraham Lincoln, hoping to unite a sundered nation, issued a proclamation declaring Thanksgiving to be a national holiday.—
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
To prevent releasing any asbestos, whole sections of the old pipe are uncoupled from their connections without cutting.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Democrats and liberal pundits in particular have seen expressions of thoughts and prayers, particularly coming from the GOP and prominent commentators on the right, as an empty gesture when uncoupled with specific actions on gun control to prevent mass shootings.—
Dominick Mastrangelo,
The Hill,
30 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Severed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severed. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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