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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Recent Examples of severed
CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
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
Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
LeBron James, who only severed a near 19-year streak of double-digit games earlier this season, once tallied 49 consecutive 20-point games.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Relations were severed, funding for studies was abruptly halted, and my parents’ working lives began immediately—much sooner than anticipated.
—Arvand Khosravi, Vanity Fair, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent retiree Reinaldo Jesus Lefonts was charging his EV in a Downey library parking lot when he was attacked in a stabbing that severed both carotid arteries and both jugular veins.
—Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
The point of impact was a cow pasture and one wing and a wheel were severed off the single-engine aircraft, WSOC reported.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
The crash severed his spinal cord.
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
By maintaining a deep, decentralized buffer of hydrocarbons, any nation, whether a major producer or a critical importer, can sustain its domestic energy flow even when maritime arteries are severed.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
The United States and Venezuela have agreed to restore diplomatic and consular relations, reopening a formal channel between Washington and Caracas for the first time since ties were severed in 2019.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Bianca De Marchi/AAP/via REUTERS Videos and photos obtained by local media have reportedly shown Baghsarian with serious injuries, including a severed finger.
—CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
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
One of the center's core tenants, the Washington National Opera, severed its relationship with the Kennedy Center last month.
—Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
LeBron James, who only severed a near 19-year streak of double-digit games earlier this season, once tallied 49 consecutive 20-point games.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Relations were severed, funding for studies was abruptly halted, and my parents’ working lives began immediately—much sooner than anticipated.
—Arvand Khosravi, Vanity Fair, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent retiree Reinaldo Jesus Lefonts was charging his EV in a Downey library parking lot when he was attacked in a stabbing that severed both carotid arteries and both jugular veins.
—Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
The point of impact was a cow pasture and one wing and a wheel were severed off the single-engine aircraft, WSOC reported.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
The crash severed his spinal cord.
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
By maintaining a deep, decentralized buffer of hydrocarbons, any nation, whether a major producer or a critical importer, can sustain its domestic energy flow even when maritime arteries are severed.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
The United States and Venezuela have agreed to restore diplomatic and consular relations, reopening a formal channel between Washington and Caracas for the first time since ties were severed in 2019.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severed
Adjective
-
Is her divided interest a loss to both spheres?—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Experts remain divided on whether the settlement adequately addresses anticompetitive practices or falls short of protecting consumers from high ticket prices.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Dorothy and Marino have moved out, Scarpetta is separated from Benton and Lucy is on the outs with her aunt.—
Emily Zemler,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
In a season where the top tier has separated itself from everyone else, Michigan has unfailingly remained consistent, never dipping lower than seventh in the nation (its preseason ranking).—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
What frustrated her most was that the issue refused to stay resolved.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
30 Dec. 2025
-
This breakthrough achievement, called super-resolved fluorescence microscopy, exploited the properties of evanescent waves and made single-molecule microscopy possible.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
13 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Overhead charges that rise faster than front-line policing costs — and that are disconnected from service levels — undermine trust and strain long-standing relationships.—
Rajiv Bhateja,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
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Now institutions are answering those calls, and those that do not evolve and innovate risk becoming increasingly disconnected from both students and employers.—
Jeremy Haefner,
Denver Post,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
-
The 85th Academy Awards in 2013 is the last time two nominees split a category.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
-
After Aaron Gordon split a pair of free throws, Jones and Cam Johnson successfully executed the foul-up-three strategy on consecutive Laker possessions, only for the free throw to go awry.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
-
An absurdist black comedy that satirizes our culture's discomfort around uncoupled people, The Lobster asks what would happen if singles were given 45 days to find a mate, or be transformed into the animal of their choice.—
Ilana Gordon,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Feb. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Severed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severed. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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