halve

verb

ˈhav How to pronounce halve (audio)
ˈhäv
halved; halving
Synonyms of halvenext

transitive verb

1
a
: to divide into two equal parts
b
: to reduce to one half
halving the present cost
c
: to share equally
2
golf : to play (a hole, round, or match) in the same number of strokes as one's opponent
I lost the next two holes to pars, then halved the fourth by missing an easy putt.—David Owen

Examples of halve in a Sentence

The store is halving the price of many summer items.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Despite a once-high dividend yield, its stock price has plummeted over 42%, and its dividend was halved in April, with further cuts anticipated. — Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 That included the decision to halve its Amazon delivery volume after nearly 30 years of partnership, Dykes first told me last October. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 30 July 2026 Still, the method for halving the key strength found through Mythos made the candidate algorithm less competitive than existing PQC digital signature schemes such as ML-DSA and FN-DSA. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 29 July 2026 But a fastball down the middle on the first pitch in the third inning was hit over the wall in right field by Willi Castro to halve the lead and begin a barrage. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for halve

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from half half

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of halve was in the 13th century

Rhymes for halve

See All Rhymes for halve

Browse Nearby Words

halvah
halve
halvers
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Halve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halve. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

halve

verb
ˈhav How to pronounce halve (audio)
ˈhȧv
halved; halving
1
: to divide into two halves
2
: to reduce to one half
halving the cost

More from Merriam-Webster on halve

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for halve

Nglish: Translation of halve for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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