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
Then came the collapse of the Assad regime, in Syria, severing the land route long used by Hezbollah to transport rockets, antitank missiles, and precision-guidance systems from its Iranian patron.
—
Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
Cook County 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, 28 May 2026
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 and Giorgio Armani.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
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
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
Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
Cook County 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, 28 May 2026
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 and Giorgio Armani.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severing
Verb
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The security perimeter kept demonstrators at a distance from the facility, with barricades and checkpoints separating roughly 100 protesters from the detention center.—
Adam Reiss,
NBC news,
31 May 2026
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Historical memory is hugely helpful in separating false promises from sincere innovation, and that should make living legends ideal for steadying progress.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
31 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 four-time NBA champion had partnered with Under Armour for 13 years before splitting in November last year.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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Another common mistake is splitting up speaking time based on role.—
Chiara Alzati,
Forbes.com,
1 June 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.—
Sufan Jiang,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
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Activities and Entertainment Having a backyard campout is the perfect excuse for disconnecting from the digital world and spending uninterrupted time with friends and family.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Severing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severing. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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