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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of separate
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 Jan. 2026
Instead of both of you standing on your separate sides, ask each other what’s in the middle.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
Vijay Dandapani, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
By the time The Leinster was nearing completion, McKillen was in the process of separating his hotel interests from his various other interests.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for separate
Adjective
This time, Minnesota took advantage of the aggressive coverage on DiVincenzo, running the shooter through the entire action that featured three separate screens.
—Verb
The situation had only worsened on a more recent visit last month when a South Asian version of the 38th Parallel that separates the two Koreas had been imposed on the border separating the two countries.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for separate
Adjective
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Thousands of people took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon to protest federal immigration activity after agents were involved in two different shootings this week, one that left a woman dead in Minneapolis and another that wounded two people in Portland, Oregon.—
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Just like its jogger counterpart, this hoodie comes in three different lengths and is carried up to a size 3XL.—
Adjective
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According to another shopper, the battery lasts long enough to clean their entire apartment in one single charge.—
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Cosmic said the Santa Rosa home is the first single-family home being built using its AI technology.—
Adjective
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Compute, sensors, steering, braking, and charging systems are all integrated into a unified autonomy stack rather than operating as independent subsystems.—
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Camera Cinemas — the independent outfit led by Jack NyBlom, Jim Zuur and Dennis Skaggs — came in, renovated and added four auditoriums and reopened in July 2002 with a combo of first-run blockbusters and independent movies.—
Adjective
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Investigators also found that Cowles linked his company card to his personal PayPal account and transferred funds to third parties.—
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Use moodier colors and personal details to create a cozy, lived-in feel.—
Verb
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Footage of the shooting has divided viewers, with finger-pointing over who was the aggressor and who was the victim.—
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From then until now, the image of a plate divided into sections has more clearly depicted what serving sizes should look like in an actual meal.—
Verb
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The fringe is parted in the middle, falling naturally on both sides of her face without creating blunt or heavy lines.—
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Would the two sides decide to part before the deadline?—
Verb
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The department classifies Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger under its highest Level 4 advisory, warning Americans about issues of terrorism, crime, kidnapping, and more.—
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Those only include what the police classify as murders or non-negligent manslaughter.—
Verb
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To prevent their flocks from contracting bird flu, officials suggest poultry owners keep their animals away from wild and migratory birds, isolate animals with signs of illness, disinfect equipment and other items, and limit the flock's contact with people.—
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Against this backdrop, the launch of the Linghui brand reflects BYD’s effort to isolate its fleet and ride-hailing exposure from its main consumer business.—
Cite this Entry
“Separate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/separate. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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