divest
verb
di·vest dī-ˈvest 
də-
divested; divesting; divests
transitive verb
1
a
: to deprive or dispossess especially of property, authority, or title
divesting assets to raise capital
was divested of his rights
divesting herself of all her worldly possessions
encouraged the university to divest itself from fossil fuels
b
: to undress or strip especially of clothing, ornament, or equipment
Christmas trees divested of their ornaments
c
: rid, free
2
: to take away from a person
divestment
dī-ˈves(t)-mənt
noun də-
Did you know?
Divest is one of many English words that come from the Latin verb vestire ("to clothe") and ultimately from the noun vestis ("clothing, garment"). Others include vest, vestment, invest, and travesty. Divest and its older form devest can mean "to unclothe" or "to remove the clothing of," but the word had broader applications even when it was first being used in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the opening scene of Shakespeare's King Lear, Lear uses the term to mean "rid oneself of" or "put aside":
"Tell me, my daughters
(Since now we will divest us both of rule,
Interest of territory, cares of state),
Which of you shall we say doth love us most?"
In addition to clothing, one can be divested of power, authority, possessions, or burdens.
Synonyms
- dispossess
- expropriate
- oust
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The company is divesting 8 of its 20 stores. We may have to divest assets to raise capital.
Recent Examples on the Web In particular, its decision to resist pressure to divest from coal is looking prescient. 
Megha Mandavia, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 That law prompted Yee to divest about $143 million of state funds from a popular ice cream company. Ryan Randazzo, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2022 Another strategy that is being used by student organizers is calling for universities to divest endowments from certain industries. Michela Moscufo, ABC News, 30 July 2022 Both studios could fully divest the network over time, sources say. Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Aug. 2022 In response to questions about which aircraft the Air Force wanted to divest to Ukraine, Kendall mentioned the A-10 Thunderbolt II. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 27 July 2022 Encouraging people to divest is a different kind of currency, which is the love that Black people in particular have for him. Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2022 That bill forced the Treasurer's Office to divest $143 million from Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry's ice cream last year. Ryan Randazzo, The Arizona Republic, 14 July 2022 But his recent bets on oil companies are contrarian in a new way, doubling down on fossil fuels when the rest of the world is trying to divest from it. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 11 July 2022 See More
Megha Mandavia, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 That law prompted Yee to divest about $143 million of state funds from a popular ice cream company. Ryan Randazzo, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2022 Another strategy that is being used by student organizers is calling for universities to divest endowments from certain industries. Michela Moscufo, ABC News, 30 July 2022 Both studios could fully divest the network over time, sources say. Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Aug. 2022 In response to questions about which aircraft the Air Force wanted to divest to Ukraine, Kendall mentioned the A-10 Thunderbolt II. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 27 July 2022 Encouraging people to divest is a different kind of currency, which is the love that Black people in particular have for him. Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2022 That bill forced the Treasurer's Office to divest $143 million from Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry's ice cream last year. Ryan Randazzo, The Arizona Republic, 14 July 2022 But his recent bets on oil companies are contrarian in a new way, doubling down on fossil fuels when the rest of the world is trying to divest from it. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 11 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
alteration of devest
First Known Use
1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing divest
Legal Definition
divest
transitive verb
di·vest dī-ˈvest, də-
: to deprive or dispossess (oneself) of property through divestiture
divested 1 of 2
adjective
as in stripped
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- stripped
- denuded
- naked
- unadorned
- bare
- plain
- bald
- undecorated
- unornamented
- unsophisticated
- homely
- elemental
- unvarnished
- simple
- earthy
- unembellished
- modest
- forthright
- plain-vanilla
- restrained
- clean
- subdued
- natural
- unpretentious
- spartan
- honest
- antiseptic
- bleak
- austere
- severe
- minimalist
- stark
- muted
- au naturel
- inconspicuous
- understated
- unobtrusive
- conservative
- sober
- quiet
- toned (down)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- adorned
- decorated
- fancy
- gaudy
- showy
- ornamented
- garish
- embellished
- tawdry
- ostentatious
- swanky
- loud
- flamboyant
- glitzy
- flashy
- exaggerated
- swank
- glittery
- lurid
- ornate
- trimmed
- splashy
- bedizened
- florid
- overwrought
- dressed
- elaborate
- extravagant
- overdone
- arrayed
- bedecked
- overdecorated
- ornate
- garnished
- embroidered
- baroque
- rococo
- apparelled
- appareled
- decked-out
divested
2 of 2verb
1
as in deprived
to end the occupancy or possession of unable to make their mortgage payments, they were summarily divested of their house Synonyms & Similar Words
- stripped
- deprived
- evicted
- dispossessed
- expropriated
- ousted
- bereft
- usurped
- appropriated
- annexed
- disinherited
- deforced
- impounded
- seized
- stript
- disfurnished
- commandeered
- bereaved
- took over
2
as in rid
to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers the former CEO has divested himself of most of his responsibilities but will continue to work with the company as a consultant Synonyms & Similar Words
- rid
- relieved
- ridded
- freed
- cleared
- disencumbered
- unburdened
- disburdened
- liberated
- loosened
- rescued
- emancipated
- enfranchised
- discharged
- extricated
- unfettered
- sprung
- sprang
- released
- redeemed
- disentangled
- unbound
- disengaged
- loosed
- manumitted
- delivered
- unchained
- uncaged
- bailed (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- encumbered
- saddled
- burdened
- subjected
- hampered
- restrained
- fettered
- shackled
- bogged (down)
- weighted (down)
- weighed down
3
as in bereft
to take something away from he was divested of the boxing title when the fraud was uncovered Synonyms & Similar Words
- stripped
- deprived
- bereft
- denuded
- bereaved
- abated
- stript
- defrauded
- bankrupted
- shortchanged
- cheated
- impoverished
- disfurnished
- cleaned (out)