separate 1 of 2

Definition of separatenext
1
as in different
not the same or shared we stayed in separate apartments on our vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in single
not physically attached to another unit the housing development has 200 separate homes, each with its own enclosed yard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4

separate

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to part
to go or move in different directions from a central point the searchers separated in order to cover more ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5
6
as in to split
to cause (people) to break up into opposing groups The controversy separated the company's leadership into competing sides.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word separate different from other adjectives like it?

The words discrete and distinct are common synonyms of separate. While all three words mean "not being each and every one the same," separate often stresses lack of connection or a difference in identity between two things.

separate rooms

When could discrete be used to replace separate?

Although the words discrete and separate have much in common, discrete strongly emphasizes individuality and lack of connection.

broke the job down into discrete stages

When would distinct be a good substitute for separate?

The meanings of distinct and separate largely overlap; however, distinct indicates that something is distinguished by the mind or eye as being apart or different from others.

two distinct versions

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 separate
Adjective
Al Drago | Getty Images Dual celebrations Two separate groups have been planning celebrations for the big July 4 holiday. Luke Fountain, CNBC, 3 July 2026 Freedom 250 is a public-private partnership that the White House launched in December, and is separate from America250, which is overseeing the broader national commemoration. Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Verb
This one test is what separates a thorough process from a lazy one. Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026 For comparison, Mizar — the middle star in the Big Dipper's handle — and its fainter companion Alcor are separated by about 12 arc minutes. Joe Rao, Space.com, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for separate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for separate
Adjective
  • As the match enters a hydration break, Austria — which has already gone for broke with four substitutions this half — will have to try something different to rally.
    Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • Researchers then move the ion to different locations above the chip by adjusting voltages on the trap electrodes.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
Adjective
  • Two double bedrooms and a single bedroom are tucked at the end of the main floor, and are adjoined by a large outdoor terrace.
    Bridget Borgobello July 03, New Atlas, 4 July 2026
  • Six days after the Yankees' first 15 batters couldn't get a hit off Bennett, the lanky left-hander retired the Angels' first 13 batters before Vaughn Grissom's fifth-inning single.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Adjective
  • Economic progress slows when that guarantee is taken away, as Hong Kong has witnessed in its sad regression from the promises of an independent judiciary made in 1997.
    Tom Campbell, Oc Register, 4 July 2026
  • However, the results reported by xDots still come primarily from pilot projects, so broader independent validation will be needed to determine whether similar savings can be achieved consistently across different industries.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 2026
Adjective
  • Bryan West Madison Square Garden does hold personal significance for Swift.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • This podcast got me a boyfriend ever since Travis decided to use it as his personal dating app about two years ago.
    Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • The revelation has divided Jefferson descendants for decades.
    Briana Stewart, ABC News, 4 July 2026
  • The sale sees the property divided into three lots with two buildable, giving the opportunity to create a treasurable family compound in rural seclusion just a 30-minute drive from the island’s main towns.
    Nielsen Dinwoodie, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • But the mom’s parting gift, a diary, provides opaque glimpses into her life with Alfonso in the mid-1980s.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • The body of her bouffant hair was parted over the left side of her head, with pieces tickling the top of her forehead.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Companies need to have an airtight hold on their own sourcing data—an understanding not only of where the materials and inputs are coming from, but how to substantiate their claims and classify customs entries with precision.
    Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 26 June 2026
  • Gambling disorder is now classified in the same section in the DSM as substance abuse disorders because of the similarities in clinical presentation and treatment.
    Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Where heat domes are hitting hardest in 2026 This summer’s extreme heat is not isolated to one region.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 June 2026
  • First isolated in the 1940s by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, plutonium has been widely used to build nuclear arsenals by multiple countries.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Separate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/separate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on separate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster