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
Tang said this can be attributed to the fact that a doctor is severing a blood vessel that is situated between the uterus and the ovary.
—
Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 15 May 2026
That department is severing ties with those 14 club teams, which UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said also include men’s crew, cycling, equestrian, gymnastics, kickline, polo, running, sailing, ski, tap and woodsmen.
—Katie Servas, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
The Sheriff is already dealing with challenges, including Deerfield Beach breaking away to form its own police and fire units, and Pembroke Park severing its police ties.
—Joan Murray, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Judge Thomas Lyons, presiding judge of the Law Division, granted a motion from the city of Chicago to split the trial in two, severing the claims of negligent hiring by the city from the allegations around the shooting by Officer Eric Stillman.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
In October, Patel said the bureau was severing its ties with SPLC, following escalating complaints from conservatives and prominent Trump allies.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
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
Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 15 May 2026
That department is severing ties with those 14 club teams, which UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said also include men’s crew, cycling, equestrian, gymnastics, kickline, polo, running, sailing, ski, tap and woodsmen.
—Katie Servas, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
The Sheriff is already dealing with challenges, including Deerfield Beach breaking away to form its own police and fire units, and Pembroke Park severing its police ties.
—Joan Murray, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Judge Thomas Lyons, presiding judge of the Law Division, granted a motion from the city of Chicago to split the trial in two, severing the claims of negligent hiring by the city from the allegations around the shooting by Officer Eric Stillman.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
In October, Patel said the bureau was severing its ties with SPLC, following escalating complaints from conservatives and prominent Trump allies.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severing
Verb
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But more than that, Haacke was proposing how politics and art might be intertwined, too, by dissolving the institutional wall separating art from the world outside it.—
Emily Watlington,
ARTnews.com,
24 May 2026
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From overpacking to not separating electronics to not packing your clunky shoes and belts, here are 10 carry-on mistakes, according to the TSA itself.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
Verb
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The encounter, captured on video, quickly gained international attention, dividing those who believed the zoo was in the right to kill Harambe for the child's safety, and others who found the act inhumane.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
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By 1997, Ultimate Fighting began to join more conventional combat sports in dividing fighters into weight classes, for safety’s sake.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Verb
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The women’s voices rose, gentle and emotive in unison, before splitting into two concordant melodies.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
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Rounding out the top three is Ronaldo’s longtime rival Lionel Messi, who brought home $140 million the past year, splitting those earnings evenly between on-the-pitch and off-field activities.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
26 May 2026
Verb
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If the shortage lasts too long, protective systems begin disconnecting parts of the grid to stop a wider collapse.—
Fangxing Fran Li,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
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Gen Alpha is reportedly disconnecting from social media and the internet.—
Esha Chhabra,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Severing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severing. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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