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
Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2026
The inciting incident for the new story comes after the principal of the high school receives a severed human finger in the mail, sending the parents into an uproar.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
When a strange man lurks around the school asking supposedly innocent questions and the principal receives a severed human finger in the mail, the community is in an uproar.
—Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Mar. 2026
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
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
CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
In February, the company faced scrutiny for striking a deal with the Department of Defense after the Pentagon severed ties with AI rival Anthropic.
—Lola Murti, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
The community became unglued and the male chimpanzees fully severed social ties.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
The long-standing organization dedicated to boosting Downtown Pittsburgh severed ties last month with its executive director, John Valentine, after an investigation found the organization lacked all financial controls.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Both of her hands had been severed from her body and one of her legs was cut off.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Both of her hands had been severed from her body and one of her legs was cut off, according to court papers.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2026
Bank, a New York surgeon who founded a clinic focused on post-mastectomy pain, said the pain is believed to be triggered by nerves that are severed during surgery and then left that way.
—Brett Kelman, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
In the News Chronicle, published seven months after the rescue, Cox said the raft was initially attacked by a stinging octopus, and that the lost man, severed by a shark, was finished off by a manta ray.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
According to the full plot description on Amazon, our protagonists have more to worry about than just severed fingers.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2026
The inciting incident for the new story comes after the principal of the high school receives a severed human finger in the mail, sending the parents into an uproar.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
When a strange man lurks around the school asking supposedly innocent questions and the principal receives a severed human finger in the mail, the community is in an uproar.
—Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Mar. 2026
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
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
Bank, a New York surgeon who founded a clinic focused on post-mastectomy pain, said the pain is believed to be triggered by nerves that are severed during surgery and then left that way.
—CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
In February, the company faced scrutiny for striking a deal with the Department of Defense after the Pentagon severed ties with AI rival Anthropic.
—Lola Murti, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
The community became unglued and the male chimpanzees fully severed social ties.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
The long-standing organization dedicated to boosting Downtown Pittsburgh severed ties last month with its executive director, John Valentine, after an investigation found the organization lacked all financial controls.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Both of her hands had been severed from her body and one of her legs was cut off.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Both of her hands had been severed from her body and one of her legs was cut off, according to court papers.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2026
Bank, a New York surgeon who founded a clinic focused on post-mastectomy pain, said the pain is believed to be triggered by nerves that are severed during surgery and then left that way.
—Brett Kelman, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
In the News Chronicle, published seven months after the rescue, Cox said the raft was initially attacked by a stinging octopus, and that the lost man, severed by a shark, was finished off by a manta ray.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severed
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, on social media, fans are a little divided.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Republicans themselves remain divided over how to proceed, with some hard-right lawmakers already rebelling against the shutdown deal.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Police said witness accounts indicate that the couple arrived at Zuri Hotel in Zanzibar on April 4 and had been quarreling frequently until the night of April 8, when hotel management separated them and asked McCann to move to a separate villa about a 10-minute walk away.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Both justices attended Yale Law School, separated by 11 years.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lebanon’s fragile sovereignty The lack of resolved borders and Israel’s periodic incursions into southern Lebanon have predictably meant that Lebanon has struggled to assert sovereignty over its own territory.—
Mireille Rebeiz,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
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What frustrated her most was that the issue refused to stay resolved.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Pixels • One promising character disconnected from the plotting so far is Zach Galifianakis as Carl Bardolph, a client of JoAnne’s who made some untold fortune in the business, but has since turned into a bitter recluse.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Apr. 2026
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The South Suburban Council did not respond to requests for comment, and a phone number listed on its website appeared to have been disconnected.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Faithe with her son, AydenAmanda Langston As the two parted ways, Amanda saw Faithe’s demeanor shift.—
Meghan O'Brien,
NBC news,
28 Mar. 2026
-
But after a knockout loss to Gervonta Davis in 2023, the two parted ways.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The judge, Wendy Vitter, had split the case into two separate proceedings.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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In the 11th minute, SDFC threatened to take a 2-0 lead when Valakari split a pair of Minnesota defenders before blasting a low attempt from the top of the box.—
Kyle Kensing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 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
-
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 18 Apr. 2026.
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