Synonym Chooser

How is the word sever distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of sever are divide, divorce, part, separate, and sunder. While all these words mean "to become or cause to become disunited or disjointed," sever implies violence especially in the removal of a part or member.

a severed limb

When might divide be a better fit than sever?

The synonyms divide and sever are sometimes interchangeable, but divide implies separating into pieces or sections by cutting or breaking.

civil war divided the nation

When is it sensible to use divorce instead of sever?

The meanings of divorce and sever largely overlap; however, divorce implies separating two things that commonly interact and belong together.

cannot divorce scientific research from moral responsibility

When could part be used to replace sever?

In some situations, the words part and sever are roughly equivalent. However, 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 sever?

The words separate and sever are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 can sunder be used instead of sever?

While in some cases nearly identical to sever, 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 sever In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain severed relations with Qatar, citing Doha’s support for terrorist groups including Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah. Oliver Kay, New York Times, 30 May 2025 But today, many people live severed from those traditional communities, and as a result, more pressure is placed on work to become a source of connection, identity, and meaning. John Spencer-Taylor, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025 Potential legal challenges over Trump admin effort to sever ties with Harvard 02:51 Gruenbaum described the administration's actions as bolstering civil rights. Garrett Haake, NBC news, 27 May 2025 But President Ronald Reagan still refused to sever ties. Time, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sever
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sever
Verb
  • Airlines also often try to separate business travelers from leisure travelers, because business travelers are typically less price sensitive.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 4 June 2025
  • While they are legally separated, their divorce has stalled due to Girardi's conservatorship and legal troubles.
    Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Model parallelism divides the neural network itself across hardware.
    Jitender Jain, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • Americans were also divided over what their separation means for the country, according to the survey, which has a margin of error of 2.1 percentage points.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Long connected off Brooklyn’s Carl Erskine at Forbes Field. 1968 — The American League announced the league will be split into two divisions.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
  • In his four years split between Jackson State and Colorado, the son of the legendary Deion Sanders threw for 14,347 yards, 134 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions, while completing 70.1 percent of his attempts.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • If time permits, disconnect utilities and appliances.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2025
  • If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • These are edge cases in individual games, and lowering resolutions or settings resolves the issues.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2025
  • That development was paused amid a tangle of lawsuits in 2023 and 2024, but is moving forward after the cases were resolved in November and March.
    Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sever.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sever. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on sever

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