divorce
1 of 3noun (1)
di·vorce də-ˈvȯrs 
also dī-
1
law : the action or an instance of legally dissolving (see dissolve entry 1 sense 1d) a marriage
2
: separation, severance
divorce of the secular and the spiritual
divorce
2 of 3verb
divorced; divorcing
transitive verb
1
law
a
: to legally dissolve one's marriage with : to end marriage with (one's spouse) by divorce (see divorce entry 1 sense 1)
She divorced her husband.
b
: to dissolve the marriage contract between
They were divorced last year.
They are getting divorced.
2
: to make or keep separate : separate
divorce church from state
media narratives divorced from reality
intransitive verb
law : to obtain a divorce
They divorced two years later.
divorcement
də-ˈvȯr-smənt
noun divorcé
3 of 3noun (2)
di·vor·cé də-ˌvȯr-ˈsā -ˈsē
-ˈsē -ˈvȯr-ˌsā
: a divorced man
Synonyms
Verb
- break up
- decouple
- disassociate
- disconnect
- disjoin
- disjoint
- dissever
- dissociate
- disunite
- divide
- part
- ramify
- resolve
- separate
- sever
- split
- sunder
- uncouple
- unlink
- unyoke
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun (1) Since getting a divorce, she has been raising her children alone. They went through a lengthy divorce. Their marriage ended in divorce. Financial problems are a leading cause of divorce. Verb After years of unhappiness, she decided to divorce him. They both agreed it was best to divorce. Their constitution divorces church and state. See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1) and Verb
Middle English divorse, from Anglo-French, from Latin divortium, from divertere, divortere to divert, to leave one's husband
First Known Use
Noun (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (2)
1877, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing divorce
Kids Definition
divorce 1 of 2
noun
di·vorce də-ˈvȯrs
: a legal ending of a marriage
divorce
2 of 2verb
divorced; divorcing
: to end a marriage legally : get a divorce
Legal Definition
divorce 1 of 2
noun
di·vorce
: the dissolution of a valid marriage granted especially on specified statutory grounds (as adultery) arising after the marriage compare annulment
Note: The most common grounds for divorce are absence from the marital home, drug or alcohol addiction, adultery, cruelty, conviction of a crime, desertion, insanity, and nonsupport.
— absolute divorce
: a divorce that completely and permanently dissolves the marital relationship and terminates marital rights (as property rights) and obligations (as fidelity)
— divorce a mensa et thoro \\ -ˌā-ˈmen-sə-ˌet-ˈthȯr-ō, -ˌä-ˈmen-sä-ˌet-ˈthō-rō \\
: a separation governed by a court order : legal separation
— divorce a vinculo matrimonii \\ -ˌā-ˈviŋ-kyu̇-ˌlō-ˌma-trə-ˈmō-nē-ˌī, -ˌä-ˈviŋ-kü-ˌlō-ˌmä-trē-ˈmō-nē-ˌē \\
: absolute divorce in this entry
— limited divorce
: an intentional cessation of cohabitation between spouses : separation
— no-fault divorce
: an absolute divorce that is not based on either spouse's fault and that is granted usually on the grounds of an irretrievable breakdown or when the spouses have lived apart for a statutorily specified period of time
divorce
2 of 2verb
divorced; divorcing
transitive verb
1
: to dissolve the marriage of (a spouse) by judgment or decree of divorce
2
: to sever the marital relationship with (a spouse) by means of a judgment or decree of divorce
intransitive verb
: to obtain a divorce
divorced 1 of 2
adjective
as in separated
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- separated
- marriageable
- unmarried
- unwed
- unpaired
- footloose
- unattached
- fancy-free
- single
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- married
- attached
- wedded
- wed
- engaged
- paired
- mated
- remarried
- pledged
- committed
- betrothed
- espoused
- hitched
- promised
- affianced
divorced
2 of 2verb
as in divided
to set or force apart in your head you need to divorce your wishes and fantasies from the realities of the world as it is Synonyms & Similar Words
- separated
- divided
- split
- disconnected
- resolved
- severed
- disassociated
- dissociated
- detached
- isolated
- uncoupled
- decoupled
- sundered
- dissevered
- disunited
- parted
- disjoined
- unlinked
- subdivided
- decomposed
- disjointed
- pulled
- broke up
- dissolved
- unyoked
- disintegrated
- ramified
- dissected
- fragmented
- partitioned
- cleaved
- bifurcated
- disassembled
- fragmentized
- fractured
- fractionated
- ripped
- segregated
- fractionalized
- broke down
- rent
- fragmentated
- disengaged
- ruptured
- cleft
- broke
- bisected
- halved
- dichotomized
- cut off
- tore
- sequestered
- disentangled
- trisected
- segmented
- quartered
- unraveled
- insulated
- rifted
- secluded
- untied
- rived
- rended
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- united
- joined
- combined
- unified
- mixed
- linked
- blended
- associated
- connected
- assembled
- mingled
- coupled
- attached
- welded
- stuck
- fused
- closed
- bound
- accumulated
- cemented
- fastened
- blent
- knit
- knitted
- agglutinated