1
as in dividing
to set or force apart
we tried to separate the gluey pages, but they were stuck tight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in parting
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
as in classifying
to arrange or assign according to type
separate the students by reading ability
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in isolating
to set or keep apart from others
separated the injured calf from the herd
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in differentiating
to understand or point out the difference in
trying to separate science from religion on one specific point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of separating
Friday’s event was not the first time the President has delivered such overtly political remarks at military venues, testing the tradition of separating the armed forces from partisan politics.
—
Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 15 Feb. 2026
The field is tightly bunched, with just over a second separating the top 10.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 15 Feb. 2026
The Honda crashed head-on into the guardrail separating the west and east lanes, then bounced back into the path of the trooper’s cruiser.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
Cut two packages of Hawaiian rolls horizontally without separating the individual rolls and place the bottom halves on baking sheets.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
The early pattern mirrors most global T20 tournaments where established cricket nations separating quickly.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
Towns ranks first in the NBA in offensive fouls (48) with 14 separating him from the second-place Jaren Jackson Jr.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
The brand said the shoe can be disassembled at the end of its life, with the knit, cords, footbed and sole separating cleanly to support circular end-of-life pathways.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
Federal courts and overwhelming public outrage had put an end to Trump’s first-term policy of separating children from parents when immigrant families were detained crossing the border.
—Mica Rosenberg, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 15 Feb. 2026
The field is tightly bunched, with just over a second separating the top 10.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 15 Feb. 2026
The Honda crashed head-on into the guardrail separating the west and east lanes, then bounced back into the path of the trooper’s cruiser.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
Cut two packages of Hawaiian rolls horizontally without separating the individual rolls and place the bottom halves on baking sheets.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
The early pattern mirrors most global T20 tournaments where established cricket nations separating quickly.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
Towns ranks first in the NBA in offensive fouls (48) with 14 separating him from the second-place Jaren Jackson Jr.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
The brand said the shoe can be disassembled at the end of its life, with the knit, cords, footbed and sole separating cleanly to support circular end-of-life pathways.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
Federal courts and overwhelming public outrage had put an end to Trump’s first-term policy of separating children from parents when immigrant families were detained crossing the border.
—Mica Rosenberg, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for separating
Verb
-
Cool the sauce quickly by dividing it into multiple shallow containers, and make sure to refrigerate within two hours of cooking.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Heating Degree Days are calculated by taking the day's high temperature and adding it to the day's low temperature, then dividing by 2 and subtracting that value from 65.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Before the preliminary hearing was over, Trevino had parting words for Riera.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Zoom in through the dark clouds parting to reveal a figure falling face downward, clearly a female form in stiletto heels descending toward Earth.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This means OpenAI is essentially classifying the model as capable enough at coding to potentially facilitate significant cyber harm, especially if automated or used at scale.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Young Women’s Leadership Academy has students in grades 6-12 and has an 85% minority population, with 65% of total students classifying as Hispanic and 20% as African-American.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Those measures included increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures and isolating passengers and crew members who reported symptoms.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
As the continents sheared and twisted unevenly, local forces squeezed together thin ribbons of crust and popped them up like geological meerkats, isolating and slicing them off.—
Evan Howell,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Large and boutique operators alike are differentiating themselves through modern design, personalization, and luxe amenities aimed at an increasingly discerning clientele.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Johnson shares the goal of differentiating local police from federal agents and said Police Chief Jeffrey Norman agrees with him.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Even in ordinary moments—sharing tea, splitting food, laughing in the snow, dancing at weddings—Minnesota feels alive.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Instead of one big weekly grocery trip, shoppers are splitting their carts between a warehouse club and a traditional supermarket.—
Alexandria Mansfield,
Florida Times-Union,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Both countries are diverging on trade, too.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The visit underscored diverging narratives about the rebuilding process in Los Angeles.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Protective planning as a long-term discipline Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of future-proof asset protection is timing.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Season 2 explores where this chaos comes from, and the difficulty in distinguishing the sheriff from the outlaw.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Separating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/separating. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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