What does "divot" mean?
A torn-up piece of turf, especially by a golf club in making a stroke or by a horse's hoof.
Divot
/ˈdɪvət/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A torn-up piece of turf, especially by a golf club in making a stroke or by a horse's hoof.
- Grammar: divot is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: dent, grass chunk, grass fragment, hollow.
- Useful contrasts: bulge, intact turf, protrusion.
- Usage evidence: Traverse City is in the divot between the pinky finger and the ring finger.
How to use "divot"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "divot" 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 "divot" 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 "divot" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "divot" 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 "divot" is acting as 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 "dent" 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 "divot", 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 A torn-up piece of turf, especially by a golf club in making a stroke or by a horse's hoof. especially
"Usually her voice came over the wire as something fresh and cool, as if a divot from a green golf-links had come sailing in at the office window, but this morning it seemed harsh and dry."
- 2 a piece of turf dug out of a lawn or fairway (by an animals hooves or a golf club) wordnet
- 3 A disruption in an otherwise smooth contour.
"In these coldest hours before dawn, from three until six, I take up my knife again and hack at the chockstone. I continue to make minimal but visible progress in the divot."
- 4 (golf) the cavity left when a piece of turf is cut from the ground by the club head in making a stroke wordnet
- 5 A drop in a graph between two linear portions (example)
Show 1 more definition
- 6 The space between two pillows.
Verb
- 1 To tear up pieces of turf from, especially with a golf club in making a stroke. especially, transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Traverse City is in the divot between the pinky finger and the ring finger."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "divot"?
Common synonyms include: dent, grass chunk, grass fragment, hollow, indentation, sod.
How do you use "divot" in a sentence?
Traverse City is in the divot between the pinky finger and the ring finger.
How do you pronounce "divot"?
Pronounced /ˈdɪvət/.
Etymology
1530s, Scots divot (“turf”), also spelt devat, diffat, and the earliest form (1435), duvat(e), from Scottish Gaelic dubhad, a reduced form of dubh-fhàd, literally “black sod” (compare fàl (“turf, sod”)).