What does "cleavage" mean?
The act of cleaving or the state of being cleft.
Cleavage
/ˈkliː.vɪd͡ʒ/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of cleaving or the state of being cleft.
- Grammar: cleavage is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abscission, alienation, alpha decay, amputation.
- Useful contrasts: expansion, formation, growth.
- Usage evidence: The blonde girl has a really nice cleavage.
How to use "cleavage"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cleavage" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cleavage" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cleavage" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cleavage" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cleavage" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abscission" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cleavage", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of cleaving or the state of being cleft. countable, uncountable
"Mineral cleavage is a property of cohesion. The cleavage of the particles themselves and its attitude with reference to the plane of the greatest and mean dimensional axes help to determine the perfection of rock cleavage. The more nearly parallel to the greater dimensions of the particle, and the better the mineral cleavage, the better the rock cleavage produced."
- 2 the act of cleaving or splitting wordnet
- 3 The hollow or separation between a woman's breasts, especially as revealed by a low neckline. countable, uncountable
"Holonym: décolletage"
- 4 the line formed by a groove between two parts (especially the separation between a woman's breasts) wordnet
- 5 Any similar separation between two body parts, such as the buttocks or toes. broadly, countable, uncountable
"Half an hour later, she was staring at a large bottom-cleavage, which was protruding from under the bed. / 'Ohhh Kayyy. Here we go. This is basically your problem.' / Olivia took a few steps back as the bottom-cleavage started wriggling out towards her. Connor the counter-surveillance expert pulled himself awkwardly to his knees, […]"
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 (embryology) the repeated division of a fertilised ovum wordnet
- 7 The repeated division of a cell into daughter cells after mitosis. countable, uncountable
"[C]itellate annelids (leeches + oligochaetes) provide solid ground for comparative analyses, because they form a monophyletic group within the paraphyletic polychaetes[…]. […] The unequal cleavage of the zygote followed by the unequal cleavage of the CD cell is critical for D-quadrant specification since the cytoplasmic determinants present in teloplasm are segregated to the larger CD cell at first asymmetric cleavage and then to the larger D cell at the second asymmetric cleavage[…]."
- 8 the breaking of a chemical bond in a molecule resulting in smaller molecules wordnet
- 9 The splitting of a large molecule into smaller ones. countable, uncountable
"Carotenoid cleavage oxygenases (CCOs) are a class of enzymes that oxidatively cleave carotenoids into apocarotenoids. Carotenoid cleavage oxygenases have been identified in plants and animals and produce a wide range of cleavage products. […] Two of the three enzymes showed cleavage of β, β-carotene at the 9,10 and 15,15' position, respectively."
- 10 the state of being split or cleft wordnet
- 11 The tendency of a crystal to split along specific planes; schistosity. countable, uncountable
"Notice that cleavage has nothing to do with imperfections in the crystal. Indeed, if you try cleaving an imperfect crystal, you may find that it cannot be cleaved as well as a perfect one. The cleavage is the result of the orderliness of the atomic arrangement. No wonder imperfections, which disturb the orderliness, disturb the cleavage as well. You will also note that the cleavage directions are obedient to the symmetry of the crystal."
- 12 The division of voters into voting blocs. countable, uncountable
"A voting bloc in Congress can represent a long-standing alliance or can be created anew as a result of the increased saliency of a particular issue, such as war or a severe economic downturn. A division between voting blocs is called a cleavage and because voting blocs are impermanent, dominant cleavages are always changing."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The blonde girl has a really nice cleavage."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cleavage"?
Common synonyms include: abscission, alienation, alpha decay, amputation, atom smashing, atom-chipping.
How do you use "cleavage" in a sentence?
The blonde girl has a really nice cleavage.
How do you pronounce "cleavage"?
Pronounced /ˈkliː.vɪd͡ʒ/.
Etymology
From cleave + -age.