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
The Jeep struck a semaphore pole, severing the vehicle in two.
—
Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 16 Apr. 2026
Chinese vessels have been caught secretly severing undersea communication cables in Taiwan’s waters.
—Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026
After watching his ball go into the bunker, the LIV golfer then attacked a nearby water cooler, severing the head of the club from its shaft.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Afreximbank leaned on Asian capital markets to keep lending on track after severing ties with ratings agency Fitch earlier this year.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Israeli ground troops have razed residential buildings while airstrikes have hit multiple bridges severing vital routes between southern Lebanon and the north.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
Several strikes hit the suspension bridge yesterday, severing a key new route under construction between Tehran and the city of Karaj, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported, citing a local security official.
—Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
Instead of severing contact, John and Carolyn get closer.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
Beyond the energy shocks, Birol said the war is severing ties to some of the vital arteries of the global economy by disrupting other critical supply chains.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026
Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 16 Apr. 2026
Chinese vessels have been caught secretly severing undersea communication cables in Taiwan’s waters.
—Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026
After watching his ball go into the bunker, the LIV golfer then attacked a nearby water cooler, severing the head of the club from its shaft.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Afreximbank leaned on Asian capital markets to keep lending on track after severing ties with ratings agency Fitch earlier this year.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Israeli ground troops have razed residential buildings while airstrikes have hit multiple bridges severing vital routes between southern Lebanon and the north.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
Several strikes hit the suspension bridge yesterday, severing a key new route under construction between Tehran and the city of Karaj, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported, citing a local security official.
—Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
Instead of severing contact, John and Carolyn get closer.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
Beyond the energy shocks, Birol said the war is severing ties to some of the vital arteries of the global economy by disrupting other critical supply chains.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severing
Verb
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Removing barriers The new facility seeks to provide more dignity for clients and remove barriers that keep victims from separating themselves from harmful environments, Mortensen said.—
Elliot Mann,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
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A lot of people have a hard time separating the actor from the character.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ebus added that interest in Venezuela is already dividing potential investors, with smaller risk-taking firms eager to enter while major companies remain cautious.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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Much of the play is dedicated to Asaf trying to figure out this conflict between his progressive views and his faith and sense of history, and also to airing the arguments about Israel that were dividing the left in the George Floyd era and continue to do so in 2026.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Cities were ranked by the relative different of the cost of renting a one-pedroom apartment and splitting rental costs for a two-bedroom unit equally with a roommate.—
Julia Hawkins,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Apr. 2026
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Families like the ones served by Knightsbridge may be operating at a different scale, but the underlying pattern—uprooting a household, splitting a family across time zones, reorganizing daily life around one child’s athletic trajectory—is hardly confined to the ultra-wealthy.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There are several natural gas marketers in the state, but the commission said Atlanta Gas Light is still responsible for the pipelines and connecting and disconnecting service.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2026
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The moratorium, passed on an emergency basis and in a divided vote, would prevent Pepco from disconnecting customers’ electricity for nonpayment of bills totaling less than $1,000.—
Meagan Flynn,
Washington Post,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Severing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severing. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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