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
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
Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The United States withdrew its diplomats and suspended embassy operations in 2019 after Maduro’s government severed diplomatic ties in response to Washington’s recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
These diplomatic ties should be severed.
—Behnam Ben Taleblu, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026
For now, though, our family’s long, cruel bond with dementia has been severed.
—Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
In late 2024, Winckler’s father suffered massive blood loss after a motorcycle wreck in November 2024 that severed one of his legs.
—Lauren Caruba, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
The group also brought its concerns to one of the commercial dairy’s business partners, which severed ties with the goat farm, according to a letter the business sent to PETA, which PETA spokesperson Colleen O’Brien provided to the Statesman.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 23 Dec. 2025
Earlier this year, The New York Times reported that Australia severed ties with Iran and expelled its diplomats accusing the country of directing attacks against a Jewish business in Sydney and a Melbourne synagogue.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
Emails leaked in recent months also suggested Andrew was in contact with Epstein after claiming to have severed ties.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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 death toll from nationwide protests in Iran spiked Tuesday to at least 2,000, activists said, even as Iranians made phone calls abroad for the first time in days after authorities severed communications during a crackdown.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The United States withdrew its diplomats and suspended embassy operations in 2019 after Maduro’s government severed diplomatic ties in response to Washington’s recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
These diplomatic ties should be severed.
—Behnam Ben Taleblu, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026
For now, though, our family’s long, cruel bond with dementia has been severed.
—Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
In late 2024, Winckler’s father suffered massive blood loss after a motorcycle wreck in November 2024 that severed one of his legs.
—Lauren Caruba, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
The group also brought its concerns to one of the commercial dairy’s business partners, which severed ties with the goat farm, according to a letter the business sent to PETA, which PETA spokesperson Colleen O’Brien provided to the Statesman.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 23 Dec. 2025
Earlier this year, The New York Times reported that Australia severed ties with Iran and expelled its diplomats accusing the country of directing attacks against a Jewish business in Sydney and a Melbourne synagogue.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
Emails leaked in recent months also suggested Andrew was in contact with Epstein after claiming to have severed ties.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severed
Adjective
-
And there, the family became a divided family.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
-
While active, a vehicle can drive itself under certain circumstances without human intervention on divided highways, but drivers still need to pay attention to the roads and system in case of problems.—
Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Law enforcement and Mishawaka school officials then separated the two groups, according to the Tribune, citing the report.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
-
That closeness is part of what has always defined Echosmith, a band that has never fully separated life from art.—
Holly Alvarado,
Daily News,
14 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
-
Especially at this time, when we’re disconnected from each other.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
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As Werenski noted after the game, they get disconnected in games like these.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Instead of crimps, Paxton's honey blonde locks were styled in romantic waves and with parted curtain bangs.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
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The audience watched quietly until Matthew McConaughey, sporting a parted blond bowl cut and ferrying students to some end-of-year fun, delivered a signature bit of dialogue.—
Hillary Kelly,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Their relationship hasn't been without bumps — the pair briefly split in 2015 — but the couple has managed to weather the ups and downs.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
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For a splurge, split a stateroom in The Haven by Norwegian, a ship-within-a-ship concept offering luxury accommodations and 24-hour butler service.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Jan. 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
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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
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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 15 Jan. 2026.
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