sever

verb

sev·​er ˈse-vər 

severed; severing ˈsev-riŋ 

ˈse-və-

transitive verb

: to put or keep apart : divide

especially : to remove (something, such as a part) by or as if by cutting

intransitive verb

: to become separated

Synonyms

• break up
• decouple
• disassociate
• disconnect
• disjoin
• disjoint
• dissever
• dissociate
• disunite
• divide
• divorce
• part
• ramify
• resolve
• separate
• split
• sunder
• uncouple
• unlink
• unyoke

Choose the Right Synonym for sever

separate, part, divide, sever, sunder, divorce mean to become or cause to become disunited or disjointed.

separate may imply any of several causes such as dispersion, removal of one from others, or presence of an intervening thing.

separated her personal life from her career

part implies the separating of things or persons in close union or association.

vowed never to part

divide implies separating into pieces or sections by cutting or breaking.

civil war divided the nation

sever implies violence especially in the removal of a part or member.

a severed limb

sunder suggests violent rending or wrenching apart.

a city sundered by racial conflict

divorce implies separating two things that commonly interact and belong together.

cannot divorce scientific research from moral responsibility

Examples of sever in a Sentence

He severed the lowest tree limbs.

His finger was severed in the accident.

Activists are asking the government to sever all diplomatic relations with the country.

Recent Examples on the Web

Following that trip, Beijing conducted provocative military exercises in the region and severed communication across its government with U.S. counterparts. —Cate Cadell, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024

The widespread criticism from the spectacle led to Ye unleashing a stream of antisemitic rhetoric, which prompted Adidas and Gap to sever their business relationships with Yeezy. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2024

Propel’s survey confirms a trend that Americans are severing ties with companies that aren’t focused on sustainability. —Ross Meyercord, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

By the time Conde moved to sever ties with McDaniel on Tuesday evening, however, the crisis had spiraled far out of control and given way to even larger problems for the network boss. —Oliver Darcy, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024

Power steering, introduced on the Chrysler Imperial in 1951, was the first automotive system to meaningfully sever the connection between car and driver, adding a hydraulic mechanism that translated, rather than responded directly to, human input. —The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024

The habit of daily attendance — and many families’ trust — was severed when schools shuttered in spring 2020. —Sarah Mervosh, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024

Ventura repeatedly tried to sever ties with Combs and met him for dinner in September 2018, per the November 2023 lawsuit. —Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024

Verisk did not immediately respond with a comment to GM severing ties with it. —Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 22 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French severer, from Latin separare — more at separate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

sever

verb

sev·​er ˈsev-ər 

severed; severing -(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to put or keep apart : divide

especially : to cut off or through

2

: to come or break apart

Legal Definition

sever

transitive verb

sev·​er ˈse-vər 

severed; severing

1

: to end (a joint tenancy) by ending one or all of the unities of time, title, possession, or interest (as by conveying one tenant's interest to another party)

2

: to separate (as a contract) into different parts (as independent obligations) in order to treat each separately

3

a

: to try (criminal offenses or defendants) separately in order to avoid prejudice

b

: to split (a criminal trial) into multiple trials in order to avoid prejudice

c

: to try (civil claims or issues pleaded in the same case) separately

severance

ˈse-vrəns, -və-rens 

noun