Divide: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when indicating the act of breaking something into parts. Often used in mathematical or formal contexts.

• Divide the cake into six equal pieces.
• The river divides the city into two parts.

Use when indicating the act of keeping things apart or moving them apart. It can be used both for physical and abstract separations.

• Separate the different colored laundry.
• We need to separate work from personal life.

Use when referring to breaking or dividing something into smaller parts, often suddenly or forcefully. It can also imply division in opinions or groups.

• The log split in two with a single blow.
• The disagreement split the team into two factions.

Use when referring to separating something into distinct parts, often with the implication of creating physical barriers.

• They will partition the office into cubicles.
• The partition of the country led to the creation of new states.

This word is commonly used in everyday situations when you need to separate something into parts.

• Let's divide the cake into eight slices
• The teacher divided the class into small groups

This word has a stronger and more dramatic connotation, often implying a permanent and sometimes painful separation. It is commonly used in formal or serious contexts.

• The company decided to sever all ties with the supplier
• She had to sever her relationship with him to move on

This word is versatile and can be used in both informal and formal contexts. It suggests a separation into parts, often for practical reasons.

• They decided to split the bill equally
• The road splits into two after the bridge

This phrase is often used when discussing the allocation or distribution of something among multiple people or groups. It implies a more detailed and careful process.

• We need to divide up the tasks among all team members
• After the meeting, they divided up the profits

Use this in general situations when talking about separating something into parts or groups.

• Let's divide the cake into eight pieces.
• The teacher will divide the class into small groups.

This word suits more informal situations and implies a forceful or sudden action. It can have a negative connotation when talking about disagreements.

• Let's split the bill equally among us.
• There was a significant split in the organization due to differing opinions.

Applied in contexts where there is a desire to emphasize the state of being apart or distinct, often used in legal, personal, or social situations.

• The separation of church and state is a key principle.
• They went through a difficult marital separation.

This is often used in more formal or technical contexts, especially when discussing physical barriers, sections, or computing.

• The office space was partitioned into smaller cubicles.
• The hard drive was partitioned into separate sections for different operating systems.