as in splits
the act or process of a whole separating into two or more parts or pieces
the cleavages of an egg as an embryo develops
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Recent Examples of cleavages
The cartoonist and journalist Joe Sacco has made a career of rescuing history from the cleavages of memory.
—
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Intelligence agencies in the United States and other Western countries closely follow these cleavages, of course, and can sometimes recruit the disaffected or the ambitious to provide insider information.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Intelligence agencies in the United States and other Western countries closely follow these cleavages, of course, and can sometimes recruit the disaffected or the ambitious to provide insider information.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleavages
Noun
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And then a lot of times with the run plays or the pass concepts, the splits will change.—
Kevin Fishbain,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Allowing the soil to dry out and then adding lots of water can cause vegetables to accumulate water too quickly, resulting in cracks or splits.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Opportunities can quickly give way to divisions.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
The two divisions are responsible for regulating prescription drugs, including pills and vaccines.—
Angelica Peebles,
CNBC,
16 May 2026
Noun
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There could be more dissolutions and consolidations in the future.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
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The drama that sometimes follows their dissolutions speaks to a broader uncertainty in the air about how gay couples should be.—
Paul McAdory,
Them.,
9 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Roberts opened up the space by taking down office partitions in the roughly 1,500-square-foot store, 3941 Park Drive, Suite 80.—
Corey Schmidt,
Sacbee.com,
13 May 2026
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Balconies are separated by relatively thin partitions, and sound carries easily outdoors.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Friends and family members also told investigators that Shirilla and Russo’s relationship had become strained in the months before the crash, marked by arguments and breakups, with some describing Shirilla as possessive in the relationship.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
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Evidently, breakups do not always make for the best music.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Given the schisms, some in the GOP believe only a single party-line bill may end up passing before November.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
9 Apr. 2026
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But over the past decade or so, major schisms have emerged.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Councilmember Mai Vang said the Youth, Parks & Community Enrichment Department is one of the smallest departments in the city, yet faces a majority of the personnel separations.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
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Grade separations greatly improve safety by reducing the chance of collisions between trains and cars, as well as cyclists and pedestrians.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleavages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleavages. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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