divide 1 of 2

1
2
as in to separate
to go or move in different directions from a central point The group divided based on those who wanted to go swimming and those who didn't.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to polarize
to cause (people) to break up into opposing groups Opinions about the war divided people who are otherwise likeminded.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

divide

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word divide distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of divide are divorce, part, separate, sever, and sunder. While all these words mean "to become or cause to become disunited or disjointed," divide implies separating into pieces or sections by cutting or breaking.

civil war divided the nation

In what contexts can divorce take the place of divide?

The words divorce and divide are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, divorce implies separating two things that commonly interact and belong together.

cannot divorce scientific research from moral responsibility

When can part be used instead of divide?

While in some cases nearly identical to divide, part implies the separating of things or persons in close union or association.

vowed never to part

When would separate be a good substitute for divide?

In some situations, the words separate and divide are roughly equivalent. However, 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

When might sever be a better fit than divide?

The words sever and divide can be used in similar contexts, but sever implies violence especially in the removal of a part or member.

a severed limb

When is sunder a more appropriate choice than divide?

While the synonyms sunder and divide are close in meaning, sunder suggests violent rending or wrenching apart.

a city sundered by racial conflict

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of divide
Verb
The question prompted a significant partisan divide. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 22 July 2025 In 2025, American media has yet to figure out a unified strategy toward the technology, and the political divide between the U.S. and China is widening, no doubt. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 18 July 2025
Noun
The Saint John River runs through Perth-Andover, dividing the Perth side from the Andover side. Gary Stoller, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 Public opinion on the Supreme Court is also divided, with a majority believing the court is motivated by politics rather than law. Chris Sims, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for divide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divide
Verb
  • Judkins and his ex-girlfriend had split in December but were rekindling their relationship at the time of the incident, the report shows.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
  • The experts split into teams representing the U.S. and China, and each side was armed with the weapons that its country is thought to possess.
    Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Unfortunately, some of this history seems relevant now as immigrant children are being forcibly separated from their parents.
    Jane Ciabattari July 22, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
  • Court began as a campus summer program in the 1950s but was professionalized and somewhat separated from the university by the late Nicholas Rudall, who led the theater for decades prior to his retirement.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • But there are still some sour grapes about the big tactical dispute in February.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 14 July 2025
  • Threads on the South Park subreddit and social media have lit up with foul-mouthed complaints from international fans, most of them directed at Paramount and David Ellison’s Skydance Media, whose $8 billion buyout of Paramount is at the heart of the South Park dispute.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • Horton said summer is always the busiest, with the program planning several events each month to combat the rise in homicides and violent crimes as the weather warms.
    Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 23 July 2025
  • Their findings add strong evidence that the rise of animal husbandry forever shaped humanity’s relationship with disease, though the timing defied their expectations.
    Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • For young people often disconnected from professional networks or mentors, Dream Reach Inspire aims to close that gap, one relationship at a time.
    Essence, Essence, 14 July 2025
  • If time allows, disconnect utilities and appliances.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • The clouds truly began to part, however, when Antony and Josephine gave Baser some advice that would go on to change the course of her career.
    Sophie Williams, Billboard, 25 July 2025
  • Martin, who is forty years old, was dressed like a Backstreet Boy, with a plaid shirt worn open over a tank top and wide-legged jeans, his short light-brown hair parted down the middle.
    Emily Witt, New Yorker, 24 July 2025
Noun
  • And Japan’s invocation of World War II is controversial in a region where fissures over Tokyo’s devastating militarism during the period sour relations with many of its neighbors to this day.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 16 July 2025
  • Race created the conditions for one of the greatest original fissures within the feminist movement, which makes Kendall’s exploration of the ways in which mainstream feminism has continued to fail women of color feel particularly timely, even five years after its publication.
    Emma Specter, Vogue, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • What time will the August full moon peak in Nashville?
    Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 31 July 2025
  • The project’s peak cost was estimated to be over $60 million for the first phase.
    Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 31 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Divide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divide. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.

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