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 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 Months prior, Fox bared a different kind of cleavage during London Fashion Week. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 8 Apr. 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 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
  • The Supreme Court has declined to resolve whether innocent taxpayers can face unlimited IRS audit exposure when a return preparer commits fraud, leaving a split in the federal courts intact.
    — Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Sara Foster still lives with her ex, Tommy Haas, two years after their split.
    — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026
Definition of split
Noun
  • The agency continues to struggle with chronic staffing shortages, declining employee morale, and the recent dissolution of its union relationship.
    — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • Following the abrupt dissolution of Disney’s $1 billion investment in OpenAI’s Sora text-to-video app, Shin stressed that there are no plans to use A24’s existing IP to create GenAI tools.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 26 June 2026
Definition of dissolution
Noun
  • The 45-second clip features Oasis’ rowdy crowds and hints at rehearsal footage as Noel and Liam Gallagher talk about their reunion years after Oasis’ acrimonious breakup.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 4 July 2026
  • The track is about cautiously opening yourself up to a new relationship after a painful breakup, finding comfort in someone who appreciates the very qualities a former partner criticized.
    — Jane LaCroix, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of breakup
Noun
  • This would create partition on the patriots’ terms, not Britain’s, as 13 contiguous colonies seceded from the rump of the British Empire in North America.
    — David Armitage, Washington Post, 26 June 2026
  • My first videoplay was Remembering Toba Tek Singh, 1999, inspired by a short story on the 1947 partition of the subcontinent by Sa’adat Hassan Manto.
    — Zehra Jumabhoy, Artforum, 25 June 2026
Definition of partition
Noun
  • Miki Sudo defended her title as well in the women’s division.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • The Dodgers claimed a series win in the four-game home set against their division rival, with the chance to sweep Sunday.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of division
Noun
  • If religion is corrupted by breaking down the wall of separation, much the same is true of the state.
    — Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • The floorplan is arranged with a clear separation between the living areas and private sleeping quarters of the home.
    — Bridget Borgobello July 03, New Atlas, 4 July 2026
Definition of separation

Browse Nearby Words

clear (up)
cleavage
cleavages
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Cite this Entry

“Cleavage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleavage. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cleavage

Nglish: Translation of cleavage for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cleavage

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