separate 1 of 2

adjective

ˈse-p(ə-)rət How to pronounce separate (audio)
Definition of separatenext
1
as in different
not the same or shared we stayed in separate apartments on our vacation

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2
as in single
not physically attached to another unit the housing development has 200 separate homes, each with its own enclosed yard

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3
as in independent
not being under the rule or control of another the former Soviet republic is now a separate country

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4
as in personal
of, relating to, or belonging to a single person the husband and wife each have separate interests

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separate

2 of 2

verb

ˈse-pə-ˌrāt How to pronounce separate (audio)
1
as in to divide
to set or force apart we tried to separate the gluey pages, but they were stuck tight

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2
as in to part
to go or move in different directions from a central point the searchers separated in order to cover more ground

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3
as in to classify
to arrange or assign according to type separate the students by reading ability

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4
as in to isolate
to set or keep apart from others separated the injured calf from the herd

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5
as in to differentiate
to understand or point out the difference in trying to separate science from religion on one specific point

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6
as in to split
to cause (people) to break up into opposing groups The controversy separated the company's leadership into competing sides.

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word separate different from other adjectives like it?

The words discrete and distinct are common synonyms of separate. While all three words mean "not being each and every one the same," separate often stresses lack of connection or a difference in identity between two things.

separate rooms

When could discrete be used to replace separate?

Although the words discrete and separate have much in common, discrete strongly emphasizes individuality and lack of connection.

broke the job down into discrete stages

When would distinct be a good substitute for separate?

The meanings of distinct and separate largely overlap; however, distinct indicates that something is distinguished by the mind or eye as being apart or different from others.

two distinct versions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of separate
Adjective
Despite their ideal of maintaining separate identities, Sarah’s sensibilities are slowly encroaching on Len’s space. — Anne Kadet, Curbed, 14 Oct. 2026 Al Jardine, a fellow Beach Boys co-founder who tours in a separate group and has sharply criticized Love’s behavior in the past, is saddened about how his former friend arrived at this point. — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
The most striking change was a surge in support for separating religion and politics and for adopting a Western style of government. — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026 Researchers typically separate active use, like posting or interacting with others, from passive use, like scrolling through content. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for separate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for separate
  1. different
  2. single
  3. independent
  4. personal
  5. divide
  6. part
  7. classify
  8. isolate
Adjective
  • Disney — also profitable — has made three rounds of layoffs in 2026 across different parts of the business.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In reality, both objects orbit the star in the same direction, just at different, changing speeds.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of different
Adjective
  • To profile their activity in patients with SCLC, the researchers analyzed tumor samples and non-affected biopsies from a dozen patients using single-cell RNA sequencing and immunophenotyping.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The judge also said the impact of the White House ban goes far beyond a single reporter's ability to do their job.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of single
Adjective
  • At the end of September, leaders of several of the biggest AI companies went to the White House and signed an accord committing to internal risk controls, independent audits and board-level oversight of safety.
    — Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • However, the ministry’s statement does not provide independent verification of the results or disclose additional technical details about the missiles’ performance.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of independent
Adjective
  • One is that with the noise in the tank, the crew will have to use the sort of personal helmet microphones as used by helicopter pilots.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • More broadly, the season moved away from formulaic dressing toward a more individual, instinctive approach to style, where contrasting references and personal expression take precedence over a single aesthetic.
    — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of personal
Verb
  • In the case of Yemen, the ground fighters inside the country who are taking on the Houthis are deeply divided and fought each other as recently as January.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Forty years ago, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met at Höfði House, representing rival nuclear superpowers divided by decades of distrust.
    — Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of divide
Verb
  • Next to her, Deary sported the quintessential Gen Z slicked-back ponytail, parted in the middle and bristle-brushed back from the sides of her head.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • For the shoot, Chastain swapped her signature red hair for soft blonde waves parted at the center.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of part
Verb
  • Improvements to LinkedIn’s detection systems have resulted in a 40% decline in views of content classified as AI slop, the platform said last month.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Just 9% of Porter’s 3-point attempts were classified as wide open, the lowest share among 307 players who took at least 100 3s.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of classify
Verb
  • One of the other things that Claude noticed was that these array of associated reverse transcriptases seem to be isolated to jumbo phages, which have very large genomes for bacteriophage.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Adapted from Hsiao Li-hung’s novel, the film follows Thik-hông (Lu), an orphan who marries into a wealthy family, is widowed young and sees her son sent away to Japan, leaving her isolated behind the walls of the family estate.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of isolate

Browse Nearby Words

separable
separate
separated
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Cite this Entry

“Separate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/separate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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