as in separating
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 severing
This shift is not about severing ties with Washington.
—
Ben Bland, NPR, 7 Oct. 2025
The Leap is predicated on severing attachment to all things (see Laura’s inability to feel love for her baby), but love is a key factor in creating a secure attachment.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Attachment theory pervades an institution that seems fixated on severing teens’ bonds with parents who are invariably discovered to be, if not complete monsters, at least ill-suited for the task of caring for their own children.
—Judy Berman, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
Even a small peninsula could host a basic airfield and seaport to facilitate the movement of people and aid, severing Gaza’s unhealthy dependency on Israel and Egypt.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 23 Sep. 2025
Some of the charities spoke out in statements about the reasoning for severing ties with the Duchess of York.
—USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
What sets Birmingham apart, though, is its ability to innovate without severing ties to those traditions.
—Rai Mincey, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Loro Piana has reaffirmed its commitment to improving its supply chain auditing, severing ties with suppliers found in violation of its agreements, as did Valentino, Giorgio Armani and Dior.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025
Before probation officers could carry out Keesler’s order and fix a monitor to Altunar’s leg, ICE agents again took him into custody — this time severing him from his lawyer for about a month, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2025
Ben Bland, NPR, 7 Oct. 2025
The Leap is predicated on severing attachment to all things (see Laura’s inability to feel love for her baby), but love is a key factor in creating a secure attachment.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Attachment theory pervades an institution that seems fixated on severing teens’ bonds with parents who are invariably discovered to be, if not complete monsters, at least ill-suited for the task of caring for their own children.
—Judy Berman, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
Even a small peninsula could host a basic airfield and seaport to facilitate the movement of people and aid, severing Gaza’s unhealthy dependency on Israel and Egypt.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 23 Sep. 2025
Some of the charities spoke out in statements about the reasoning for severing ties with the Duchess of York.
—USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
What sets Birmingham apart, though, is its ability to innovate without severing ties to those traditions.
—Rai Mincey, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Loro Piana has reaffirmed its commitment to improving its supply chain auditing, severing ties with suppliers found in violation of its agreements, as did Valentino, Giorgio Armani and Dior.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025
Before probation officers could carry out Keesler’s order and fix a monitor to Altunar’s leg, ICE agents again took him into custody — this time severing him from his lawyer for about a month, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severing
Verb
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The first and fifth-place finishes pushed Mercedes further ahead of Ferrari in the constructors’ standings, a 25-point gap separating the two.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Poehler and Arnett welcomed two children together, sons Archie and Abel, before separating in 2012 and finalizing their divorce in 2016.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Now dividing her time between New York and Santiago, she is known for works responding to the Indigenous culture of Chile and to the economic, political, environmental, and gender disparities that arise within societies.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
10 Oct. 2025
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Specifically, Lecornu demands all issues currently dividing the National Assembly into three factions be brought to parliamentary debate.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Starting safety Drew Mukuba moved to a full-time role against the Denver Broncos after initially splitting time with Sydney Brown in base packages.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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The team pointed out that the new device integrates organic semiconductors with enzymes from sulphate-reducing bacteria, splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen or converting carbon dioxide into formate.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For 48 hours, the Taliban appeared to turn back the clock in Afghanistan with a directive to cut off the internet and phone networks, disconnecting millions of people from the world outside.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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For Allen, this legal tool disproportionately undermines Black communities, eroding generational wealth and disconnecting families from their neighborhoods.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Severing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severing. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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