sever
verb
transitive verb
intransitive verb
Synonyms
- break up
- decouple
- disassociate
- disconnect
- disjoin
- disjoint
- dissever
- dissociate
- disunite
- divide
- divorce
- part
- ramify
- resolve
- separate
- split
- sunder
- uncouple
- unlink
- unyoke
Example Sentences
WIRED, 10 Sep. 2022 Ukraine’s nuclear regulator Energoatom on Monday blamed Russia for bombing power lines to sever the Zaporizhzhia plant from the Ukrainian electrical grid and goading nearby Ukrainian forces into attacks. Bojan Pancevski, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2022 The process, in which schools sever ties with one district to form a new one, can also produce segregated schools. Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 28 Aug. 2022 In an actual conflict, China could also try to sever or disable undersea cables that carry about 90 percent of the data that connects Taiwan to the world, some military experts on the island said. New York Times, 25 Aug. 2022 Despite those warnings, six of the 15 chapters in the USC Interfraternity Council so far have chosen to sever their relationship with USC. Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2022 The developer could crack or sever pipes, which could affect neighboring farms because the systems are interconnected. Dan Gearino, ABC News, 29 July 2022 In a statement to ProPublica, Warner, a Virginia Democrat, called Google’s failure to sever its relationship with RuTarget alarming. Craig Silverman, ProPublica, 4 July 2022 Madison has transformed from mother to baby-napper, stealing children and delivering them to P.A.D.R.E. to sever connections between parent and offspring. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 6 June 2022 See More Word History
Middle English, from Anglo-French severer, from Latin separare — more at separate
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Kids Definition
sever
verb
Brian Jacques, Redwall Legal Definition
sever
transitive verb
sever
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- separate
- split
- disconnect
- divide
- resolve
- sunder
- dissever
- dissociate
- disassociate
- uncouple
- detach
- decouple
- isolate
- unlink
- disunite
- pull
- disjoin
- ramify
- part
- disjoint
- divorce
- cleave
- dissect
- dissolve
- unyoke
- bifurcate
- decompose
- rip
- tear
- break up
- subdivide
- disintegrate
- fracture
- rupture
- fragment
- halve
- bisect
- rend
- segregate
- fractionate
- break
- untie
- partition
- disassemble
- rift
- unravel
- break down
- dichotomize
- rive
- disentangle
- insulate
- segment
- quarter
- cut off
- disengage
- fragmentate
- trisect
- fractionalize
- seclude
- fragmentize
- sequester
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unite
- link
- combine
- join
- connect
- unify
- associate
- couple
- bind
- attach
- mix
- assemble
- close
- mingle
- blend
- fasten
- stick
- accumulate
- fuse
- weld
- knit
- cement
- agglutinate
Synonym Chooser
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.
The synonyms divide and sever are sometimes interchangeable, but divide implies separating into pieces or sections by cutting or breaking.
The meanings of divorce and sever largely overlap; however, divorce implies separating two things that commonly interact and belong together.
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.
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.
While in some cases nearly identical to sever, sunder suggests violent rending or wrenching apart.