cleavage

noun

ˈklē-vij How to pronounce cleavage (audio)
Definition of cleavagenext
as in split
the act or process of a whole separating into two or more parts or pieces the cleavages of an egg as an embryo develops

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 cleavage The sheer style featured silver and multicolored sequins, while the cut showed plenty of cleavage. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026 Triangle bralettes work especially well on smaller chests because their plunging neckline highlights the cleavage, while racerback styles create a closer, more secure fit. — Malia Griggs, Glamour, 1 June 2026 This time around, instead of cleavage and double entendres, Sweeney was all smiles in a modest, casual look on the beach. — Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 28 May 2026 This is a book of profound intellectual altruism and moral urgency that insists on summoning courage despite (or because of) societal and political cleavage. — Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cleavage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleavage
  1. split
  2. dissolution
  3. breakup
  4. partition
  5. division
  6. separation
Noun
  • Hudler’s high-energy persona creates a sharp split amongst graders.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The company announced a corporate split in September 2025, which was later paused in favor of a $700 million reinvestment plan.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of split
Noun
  • Tymon Brown, the Gravel Institute’s head of production, said that the nonprofit’s dissolution was never explained to him or the rest of the organization.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In the following centuries, Norway didn't have a king of its own until Harald's grandfather, Haakon VII, was elected king following the 1905 dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of dissolution
Noun
  • Then there are the affair-and-breakup songs, tunes where someone is searching for something better, like young musicians heading west to get famous.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But a drumbeat of doubt began in Elwood’s head in 2010 on a tour of Sarajevo, where Bosnian-Serb forces had committed atrocities during the war that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of breakup
Noun
  • There’s also a partition separating the rear seats from the luggage area.
    — Marco Della Cava, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Standard deer cartridges are fine, but use a stout bullet, either bonded, partition or monolithic.
    — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of partition
Noun
  • Cameron moved up to the division earlier this year and defeated Michaela Kotaskova by unanimous decision in April to claim the vacant WBO title and become a two-weight world champion.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • How would Leading Change be able to knock heads against the heavyweights of the division at a mile and a quarter distance?
    — Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of division
Noun
  • The burst and ability to create separation jumped out, as did his calm and composed finish, all at seemingly peak speed.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
  • This direct separation reduces the total volume of fuel processing equipment by more than ninety percent, while significantly shrinking the amount of hazardous radioactive tritium that a plant must keep on site.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of separation

Browse Nearby Words

clear (up)
cleavage
cleavages
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cleavage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleavage. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cleavage

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cleavage

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