Separating: meaning, definitions and examples

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separating

 

[หˆsษ›pษ™หŒreษชtษชล‹ ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Verb

two words

To set or keep apart; divide or dissociate: The new highway will separate the two towns. To put space between; space apart or scatter: small farms that were separated one from another by miles of open land. To form a border or barrier between: A hedge separates the two yards.

Synonyms

disconnect, divide, segregate, split.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
separating

General term used for making something into distinct parts.

  • She was separating the laundry into whites and colors
  • They spent the evening separating the wheat from the chaff
divide

Commonly used for mathematical contexts or when sharing resources among groups.

  • We need to divide the cake into eight pieces
  • The teacher asked the students to divide into groups for the project
split

Used for both physical separation and metaphorically for disagreements or divisions between people.

  • Let's split the bill for dinner
  • There was a split in the team over how to proceed with the project
disconnect

Often used in technology or when discussing a lack of connection between people or ideas.

  • You need to disconnect the device before removing it
  • There is a disconnect between what he says and what he does
segregate

Carries a negative connotation; often used when discussing enforced separation of different groups of people.

  • Historical segregation policies were deeply harmful
  • It is illegal to segregate employees based on race

Examples of usage

  • The fence separates the backyard from the front yard.
  • The mountain range separates the two valleys.
  • The wall separates the kitchen from the living room.
Context #2 | Verb

people or things

To cause to move or be apart: The horse separated the children. To mark as separate; distinguish: The doctor separated the cases by severity. To part company; go away from each other; disperse: The friends separated at the end of the street.

Synonyms

break up, disperse, part, scatter.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
separating

Used when discussing the act of dividing or splitting something into different parts or groups.

  • We are separating the recyclable materials from the general waste
disperse

Used when talking about spreading something over a wide area or scattering it.

  • The police ordered the crowd to disperse after the protest
  • The seeds will disperse naturally in the wind
scatter

Implies throwing or dropping things in different directions over an area; often suggests a lack of order.

  • The children loved to scatter the autumn leaves in the park
  • The wind began to scatter the papers all over the yard
part

Can refer to leaving or saying goodbye; often used in a more formal or emotional context.

  • They had to part ways when they went to different colleges
  • It was difficult for them to part after such a long trip together
break up

Usually refers to ending a relationship or breaking something into smaller pieces; often carries a negative connotation.

  • After five years of dating, they decided to break up
  • The demolition crew will break up the old concrete sidewalk

Examples of usage

  • The teacher separated the students into groups.
  • The police separated the fighting crowd.
  • The siblings separated after a heated argument.
Context #3 | Noun

mathematics

A mathematical operation in which one number is divided by another: 6 รท 2 = 3, so the separation of 6 by 2 is 3.

Synonyms

division, quotient.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
separating

Used when describing the action of keeping things apart or creating a distinction between them. Common in everyday conversation and scientific contexts.

  • She is separating the recyclables from the trash.
  • Separating work from personal life can be challenging.
division

Commonly used in mathematical contexts to describe the operation of dividing numbers. Can also refer to a significant split or disagreement within a group of people. May have a negative connotation in social contexts.

  • The division of the cake into equal parts took some time.
  • There is a deep division among the members of the committee.
quotient

Primarily used in mathematical contexts to describe the result of dividing one number by another.

  • The quotient of 20 divided by 4 is 5.
  • You need to find the quotient when you solve the division problem.

Examples of usage

  • The separation of 12 by 4 is 3.
  • The separation of 8 by 2 is 4.

Translations

Translations of the word "separating" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น separando

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค…เคฒเค— เค•เคฐเคจเคพ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช trennen

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ memisahkan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ั€ะพะทะดั–ะปะตะฝะฝั

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ oddzielanie

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๅˆ†้›ขใ™ใ‚‹

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท sรฉparer

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ separando

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท ayฤฑrma

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋ถ„๋ฆฌ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ูุตู„

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ oddฤ›lovรกnรญ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ oddeฤพovanie

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅˆ†็ฆป

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ loฤevanje

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ aรฐskilnaรฐur

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะฑำฉะปัƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ’แƒแƒ›แƒแƒงแƒแƒคแƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ayฤฑrma

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ separando

Etymology

The word 'separating' originates from the Latin word 'separatus', which means 'to divide' or 'to set apart'. The concept of separating has been essential in various aspects of human life, from physical separation of objects to emotional separation between individuals. Throughout history, the act of separating has played a crucial role in defining boundaries, creating order, and resolving conflicts.

See also: separable, separated, separately, separation, separatism, separatist.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,388 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.