What does "divorce" mean?
The legal dissolution of a marriage.
Divorce
/dɪˈvɔːs/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The legal dissolution of a marriage.
- Grammar: divorce is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abrupt, abstraction, alienate, alienation.
- Useful contrasts: attach, connect, consort.
- Usage evidence: I got word that Mary wants to divorce him.
How to use "divorce"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "divorce" 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 "divorce" 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 "divorce" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "divorce" 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 "divorce" is acting as name, noun, verb 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 "abrupt" 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 "divorce", 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 legal dissolution of a marriage. countable, uncountable
"Richard obtained a divorce from his wife some years ago, but hasn't returned to the dating scene."
- 2 the legal dissolution of a marriage wordnet
- 3 A separation of connected things. countable, uncountable
"The Civil War split between Virginia and West Virginia was a divorce based along cultural and economic as well as geographic lines."
- 4 The separation of a bonded pair of animals. countable, uncountable
- 5 That which separates. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"Go with me like good angels to my end; / And as the long divorce of steel falls on me, / Make of your prayers one sweet sacrifice, / And lift my soul to heaven. Lead on, o' God's name."
Verb
- 1 To legally dissolve a marriage between two people. transitive
"A ship captain can marry couples, but cannot divorce them."
- 2 part; cease or break association with wordnet
- 3 To end one's own marriage to (a person) in this way. transitive
"Lucy divorced Steve when she discovered that he had been unfaithful."
- 4 get a divorce; formally terminate a marriage wordnet
- 5 To obtain a legal divorce. intransitive
"Edna and Simon divorced last year; he got the house, and she retained the business."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To separate something that was connected. transitive
"The radical group voted to divorce itself from the main faction and start an independent movement."
Proper Noun
- 1 The 65th sura (chapter) of the Qur'an.
Example
"I got word that Mary wants to divorce him."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "divorce"?
Common synonyms include: abrupt, abstraction, alienate, alienation, annul, annulment.
How do you use "divorce" in a sentence?
I got word that Mary wants to divorce him.
How do you pronounce "divorce"?
Pronounced /dɪˈvɔːs/.
Etymology
Derived from Old French divorce, from Latin dīvortium, from dīvertere (“to turn aside”), from dī- (“apart”) + vertere (“to turn”); see verse.