divide 1 of 2

verb

də-ˈvīd How to pronounce divide (audio)
Definition of dividenext
1
as in to split
to set or force apart Volunteers divided the donated groceries into several dozen piles.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

1
as in dispute

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in rise

Related Words

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 area is divided into different beachside neighborhoods that follow the coast. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026 That march, an inflection point in the Civil Rights Movement, also came at a fraught moment for the country, when economic headwinds, civil unrest, political division and the war in Vietnam bitterly divided Americans. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
That, Manuel says, illustrates the class divide that has been so ingrained in the Philippines. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 But the absence of current executives from several of the city’s largest financial and technology companies underscores the divide that remains. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for divide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divide
  1. split
  2. separate
  3. dispute
  4. rise
  5. disconnect
  6. part
  7. fissure
  8. peak
Verb
  • Industry experts are split over whether short-drama specialists or traditional incumbents possess the stronger distribution moat.
    — Matthew Tan, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Fewer workers are splitting the cost of supporting a larger, longer-living retired population.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of split
Verb
  • The team analyzed the corridor over the long term and used seasonal-trend decomposition using LOESS, a statistical method that helped separate seasonal fluctuations from longer-term settlement.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The bridge connects two settlements in a valley in northwest Rwanda that are separated by the river.
    — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of separate
Noun
  • The planned center for arbitrating investment and commercial disputes, for example, will sit within the Syrian Investment Authority, which is itself attached to the presidency.
    — Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Adair died in jail following a dispute with deputies, including Fatherley, who knelt on his back.
    — Sofi Zeman August 31, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of dispute
Noun
  • The gross margin outlook was a bit lower than expected, with Kress attributing the crunch to the relentless rise in memory prices, both for the remainder of this fiscal year and for fiscal 2028.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Ariana Madix has had a meteoric rise as a host — one that landed her an Emmy nomination this year.
    — William Earl, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of rise
Verb
  • Tourists come here, disconnect themselves, go off into one little corner and think that’s the country.
    — Josh Rivera, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And, often, the material is so technical that it is disconnected from real-world use, leading to even less engagement and retention.
    — Jason Corso, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of disconnect
Verb
  • When their plan goes horribly awry, the couple is parted once again.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In its place is a head of dark, longer hair parted down the middle, with loose curtain bangs falling across his forehead and framing his face.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of part
Noun
  • On a historic square in Savannah, with live oaks cloaked in Spanish moss, Aaron Whitley, the Chatham County Democratic Party chair, says Ossoff has managed to transcend those fissures better than most.
    — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But a fissure remains between those actors who stay morally opposed to cloning, and those who embrace this new reality.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fissure
Noun
  • While mega-cap pharma companies typically look to invest in assets that offer peak sales in the billions of dollars, Gayer has smaller targets in mind.
    — Brad Quick, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Up to half of the more than 200,000 mountain glaciers — vast, slow moving rivers of ice that creep across the world’s peaks — are expected to disappear by the end of this century, even if ambitious climate goals are met.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of peak

Phrases Containing divide

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divide
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Cite this Entry

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

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