SEVER Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

sever

verb

ˈse-vər

Definition of sever next

as in to separate

to set or force apart disapproving parents who were willing to do anything to sever the young lovers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 According to officials, 31-year-old Brittany Clark, of Orlando, was swimming in the river when the alligator bit both of her arms and severed one. —

Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 1 July 2026 The leading interpretation is that Smilodon delivered a single precise bite to the throat or belly, severing something vital in a target that was already helpless. —

Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Syracuse’s downtown, already severed by the interstate highway, withered. —

Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 The workers' group opposes Ryder's Law, which will sever the main income source for many of the heavily immigrant owners and drivers. —

Andrea Sachs The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sever

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sever

Verb

This is not Copenhagen, which has wide boulevards where vehicles and bikes can be easily separated.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
The film tells the story of the tender yet destructive friendship between two 13-year-old boys who run away when they are threatened with being separated.

— Alissa Simon, Variety, 4 July 2026

Definition of separate

Verb

The revelation has divided Jefferson descendants for decades.

— Briana Stewart, ABC News, 4 July 2026
The sale sees the property divided into three lots with two buildable, giving the opportunity to create a treasurable family compound in rural seclusion just a 30-minute drive from the island’s main towns.

— Nielsen Dinwoodie, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of divide

Verb

The result is uncommon room layouts like the tri-suite king room equipped with two twin-sized beds and a king bed split by a privacy divider that doubles as a playful art installation.

— Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Cutright, who was not charged with murder, split from Devastating Pyrotechnics to form Blackstar Fireworks on the property in 2023.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of split

Verb

If your pet already has a microchip, make sure the information is up to date; sometimes, even pets with microchips can’t be identified because the phone number associated with them has been disconnected.

— Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Without considering objects, understanding history is incomplete, leaving people today disconnected from those who lived it.

— Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026