Divisive

//dɪˈvaɪsɪv// adj

adj ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Having a quality that divides or separates.

    "Rather than fostering unity, he becomes divisive."

Adjective
  1. 1
    dissenting (especially dissenting with the majority opinion) wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
aggressivebellicosebelligerentbickeringcombativedisputatious

Example

More examples

"Use of such divisive language tends to polarize the public."

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dīvīsīvus.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.