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law
: the action or an instance of legally dissolving (see dissolve entry 1 sense 1d) a marriage
2
: separation, severance
divorce of the secular and the spiritual
divorced; divorcing
1
law
a
: to legally dissolve one's marriage with : to end marriage with (one's spouse) by divorce (see divorce entry 1 sense 1)
She divorced her husband.
b
: to dissolve the marriage contract between
They were divorced last year.
They are getting divorced.
2
: to make or keep separate : separate
divorce church from state
media narratives divorced from reality
law
: to obtain a divorce
They divorced two years later.
di·vor·cé
də-ˌvȯr-ˈsā 
-ˈsē
-ˈsē
-ˈvȯr-ˌsā
: a divorced man
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Noun (1)
Since getting a divorce, she has been raising her children alone.
They went through a lengthy divorce.
Their marriage ended in divorce.
Financial problems are a leading cause of divorce.
Verb
After years of unhappiness, she decided to divorce him.
They both agreed it was best to divorce.
Their constitution divorces church and state.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Brittany Bowker, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Mar. 2023
Bündchen was first seen with the jiu-jitsu pro in November of last year, when the pair visited Provincia de Puntarenas (a province located on Costa Rica's coast), two weeks after her divorce from NFL star Tom Brady was finalized.
—Tracey Harrington Mccoy, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2023
Valente accompanied Bündchen on two other trips to Costa Rica since her divorce from Brady was announced.
—Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2023
Charles Vallow's fears Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow Kay Woodcock Charles Vallow filed for a divorce from Lori.
—Kat Teurfs, Chelsea Narvaez, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2023
Even before the order was issued, Hartsfield had filed for divorce from her fourth husband, according to the records.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 22 Mar. 2023
So why address all this musically now, over three years after Hemsworth filed for divorce in August 2019?
—Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 15 Mar. 2023
The lyric is layered as flowers are mentioned, like her No. 1 hit single that is allegedly about bouncing back from her divorce with Liam Hemsworth.
—Samantha Olson, Seventeen, 10 Mar. 2023
But after seven months, the pair filed for divorce.
—Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2023
Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 2 Mar. 2023
Spielberg’s mother and his father Arnold would eventually divorce; Leah married that family friend, Bernie Adler, in 1967.
—Time, 16 Nov. 2022
Anna became a household name when Vito tried to divorce her in the ’50s, infuriating the Cosa Nostra by revealing her soon-to-be ex’s many shady business dealings.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Nov. 2021
The couple later would divorce amicably after Quinn came out as gay.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 22 Apr. 2021
The couple separated in 1992, but didn't divorce officially until four years later, in 1996.
—Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, 24 Oct. 2020
Only a despised, dynamic American economy allows millions to divorce from it for a summer of protest.
—Victor Davis Hanson Tribune News Service (tns), Star Tribune, 27 Aug. 2020
The couple originally dated in the early 2000s, getting engaged before going their separate ways; each going on to marry and subsequently divorce different partners.
—C Mandler, CBS News, 15 Feb. 2023
But there’s something delicately stirring in what feels like a real-life role-playing between Simmons and Brooks (who would divorce eight years later in 1977) in a comparable cathartic roleplay to Mendes/Winslet in Revolutionary Road.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 14 Feb. 2023
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Noun
Gisele Bündchen appears on the cover of Vanity Fair’s April issue, which features a candid interview with the Brazilian supermodel, who speaks out for the first time since her October divorce from Tom Brady.
—Brittany Bowker, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Mar. 2023
Bündchen was first seen with the jiu-jitsu pro in November of last year, when the pair visited Provincia de Puntarenas (a province located on Costa Rica's coast), two weeks after her divorce from NFL star Tom Brady was finalized.
—Tracey Harrington Mccoy, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2023
Valente accompanied Bündchen on two other trips to Costa Rica since her divorce from Brady was announced.
—Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2023
Charles Vallow's fears Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow Kay Woodcock Charles Vallow filed for a divorce from Lori.
—Kat Teurfs, Chelsea Narvaez, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2023
Even before the order was issued, Hartsfield had filed for divorce from her fourth husband, according to the records.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 22 Mar. 2023
So why address all this musically now, over three years after Hemsworth filed for divorce in August 2019?
—Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 15 Mar. 2023
The lyric is layered as flowers are mentioned, like her No. 1 hit single that is allegedly about bouncing back from her divorce with Liam Hemsworth.
—Samantha Olson, Seventeen, 10 Mar. 2023
But after seven months, the pair filed for divorce.
—Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2023
Verb
Their latest reconciliation comes more than a year after Ray J filed in October 2021 to divorce the 38-year-old Prella Cosmetics founder, citing irreconcilable differences.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 2 Mar. 2023
Spielberg’s mother and his father Arnold would eventually divorce; Leah married that family friend, Bernie Adler, in 1967.
—Time, 16 Nov. 2022
Anna became a household name when Vito tried to divorce her in the ’50s, infuriating the Cosa Nostra by revealing her soon-to-be ex’s many shady business dealings.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Nov. 2021
The couple later would divorce amicably after Quinn came out as gay.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 22 Apr. 2021
The couple separated in 1992, but didn't divorce officially until four years later, in 1996.
—Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, 24 Oct. 2020
Only a despised, dynamic American economy allows millions to divorce from it for a summer of protest.
—Victor Davis Hanson Tribune News Service (tns), Star Tribune, 27 Aug. 2020
The couple originally dated in the early 2000s, getting engaged before going their separate ways; each going on to marry and subsequently divorce different partners.
—C Mandler, CBS News, 15 Feb. 2023
But there’s something delicately stirring in what feels like a real-life role-playing between Simmons and Brooks (who would divorce eight years later in 1977) in a comparable cathartic roleplay to Mendes/Winslet in Revolutionary Road.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 14 Feb. 2023
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'divorce.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1) and Verb
Middle English divorse, from Anglo-French, from Latin divortium, from divertere, divortere to divert, to leave one's husband
First Known Use
Noun (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (2)
1877, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of divorce was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing divorce
Dictionary Entries Near divorce
Cite this Entry
“Divorce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divorce. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
divorce
1 of 3 noun
di·vorce
də-ˈvōrs
-ˈvȯrs
1
: the action or an instance of legally ending a marriage
2
: complete separation
divorcé
3 of 3 noun
di·vor·cé
də-ˌvōr-ˈsā
-ˌvȯr-
-ˌvȯr-
-ˈsē
: a divorced man
Legal Definition
divorce
1 of 2 noun
di·vorce
: the dissolution of a valid marriage granted especially on specified statutory grounds (as adultery) arising after the marriage compare annulment
Note: The most common grounds for divorce are absence from the marital home, drug or alcohol addiction, adultery, cruelty, conviction of a crime, desertion, insanity, and nonsupport.
—
absolute divorce
: a divorce that completely and permanently dissolves the marital relationship and terminates marital rights (as property rights) and obligations (as fidelity)
—
divorce a mensa et thoro
\
-ˌā-ˈmen-sə-ˌet-ˈthȯr-ō, -ˌä-ˈmen-sä-ˌet-ˈthō-rō
\
: a separation governed by a court order : legal separation
—
divorce a vinculo matrimonii
\
-ˌā-ˈviŋ-kyu̇-ˌlō-ˌma-trə-ˈmō-nē-ˌī, -ˌä-ˈviŋ-kü-ˌlō-ˌmä-trē-ˈmō-nē-ˌē
\
: absolute divorce in this entry
—
no-fault divorce
: an absolute divorce that is not based on either spouse's fault and that is granted usually on the grounds of an irretrievable breakdown or when the spouses have lived apart for a statutorily specified period of time
divorce
2 of 2 verb
divorced; divorcing
1
: to dissolve the marriage of (a spouse) by judgment or decree of divorce
2
: to sever the marital relationship with (a spouse) by means of a judgment or decree of divorce
: to obtain a divorce
Etymology
Noun
Middle French, from Latin divortium, from divortere, divertere to leave one's marriage partner, from di- away, apart + vertere to turn
More from Merriam-Webster on divorce
Nglish: Translation of divorce for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of divorce for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about divorce
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