split 1 of 3

verb

ˈsplit How to pronounce split (audio)
Definition of splitnext
1
as in to divide
to set or force apart You should split logs now for a winter's supply of wood.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to polarize
to cause (people) to break up into opposing groups The party split over which tax policy to endorse.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

split

2 of 3

noun

1
as in fissure
an irregular usually narrow break in a surface created by pressure an earthquake left a split in the ground

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in breakup
the act or process of a whole separating into two or more parts or pieces the split of the group into two factions marked the beginning of the end of the organization

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

split

3 of 3

adjective

as in divided
disagreeing with each other opinions are split on the subject

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word split different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of split are cleave, rend, rip, rive, and tear. While all these words mean "to separate forcibly," split implies a cutting or breaking apart in a continuous, straight, and usually lengthwise direction or in the direction of grain or layers.

split logs for firewood

When is cleave a more appropriate choice than split?

While the synonyms cleave and split are close in meaning, cleave implies very forceful splitting or cutting with a blow.

a bolt of lightning cleaved the giant oak

When might rend be a better fit than split?

In some situations, the words rend and split are roughly equivalent. However, rend implies very violent or ruthless severing or sundering.

an angry mob rent the prisoner's clothes

When can rip be used instead of split?

The words rip and split are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rip implies a pulling apart in one rapid uninterrupted motion often along a line or joint.

ripped the shirt on a nail

When would rive be a good substitute for split?

The synonyms rive and split are sometimes interchangeable, but rive occurs most often in figurative use.

a political party riven by conflict

When could tear be used to replace split?

The words tear and split can be used in similar contexts, but tear implies pulling apart by force and leaving jagged edges.

tear up the letter

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 split
Verb
The first week will see the 32-player field split into eight groups of four that will compete in group match play across three days. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Water cuts split states Under the new rules, four states – Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming – are allowed to implement voluntary water reductions instead of mandatory cuts. — James Powel, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
Consider taking the time to break in the shoe or possibly alternate between tabi split-toe shoes and a normal sneaker until fully comfortable wearing more often. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026 Last Year The Falcons finished their 2025 campaign with an 8–9 record, missing out on a postseason run after being caught in a tight, three-way split atop the division. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Other split-toe designs with smaller pockets can force the foot into a smaller space, aggravating hammertoes and neuromas. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026 While the House is most at risk for Republicans this year, the narrowly split Senate is also in play. — Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for split
Recent Examples of Synonyms for split
  1. divide
  2. fissure
  3. breakup
  4. divided
  5. separate
  6. crevice
  7. partition
  8. disconnect
Verb
  • The case has become a national cultural fixation and a social media spectacle, gripping and dividing spectators well beyond the Massachusetts courtroom where the 36-year-old mother is charged with killing her three young children.
    — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Essentially a form of computational fluid dynamics, the simulation divides the flow passages into a very large number of tiny regions and calculates things such as velocity, pressure, turbulence, and temperature throughout the component.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of divide
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
  • 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
Adjective
  • More than three decades after the wars, former Balkan foes remain divided over his role.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • City and county leaders remain divided over negotiations, including how cases should be handled through Mableton's municipal court.
    — CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of divided
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
  • High-pressure washing can force water into seals and crevices, damage weatherstripping, and strip paint—especially on doors that are already showing signs of chipping or peeling.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Unapproved use of old cardboard pieces placed in underside crevices below the center prep table.
    — Vince Basada, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of crevice
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
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

Phrases Containing split

Browse Nearby Words

splints
split
split hairs
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on split

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about split

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