separate
18 synonyms and 7 antonyms for separate, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To divide something into parts, or to keep things or people apart from each other.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use separate
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin separatus, past participle of separo, "to separate," from se- ("apart") + paro ("prepare").
Full origin of separate →Frequently asked questions
What does “separate” mean?
The word “separate” means to divide something into parts, or to keep things or people apart from each other. In plain terms, to divide or split apart, or (as an adjective) distinct and not joined together.
How do you pronounce “separate”?
“Separate” is pronounced SEHP-uh-rayt (/ˈsɛp.əˌɹeɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “separate” in a sentence?
Here is “separate” used in a sentence: “Separate the eggs before you start baking.”
What is another word for “separate”?
Words with a similar meaning to “separate” include detached, discrete, distinct, disparate, loose and sundry.
What is the opposite of “separate”?
The opposite of “separate” — its antonyms — are annex, combine, coherent, conjunct and indistinct.
What part of speech is “separate”?
Depending on how it is used, “separate” can be a verb and an adjective.
Where does the word “separate” come from?
The word “separate” comes from Latin. From Latin separatus, past participle of separo, "to separate," from se- ("apart") + paro ("prepare").
Is “separate” a common word?
“Separate” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between separate and divide?
To separate means to keep or set things apart so they no longer touch or mix, without necessarily splitting one thing up. To divide means to break a single whole into parts, often into shares. You separate two arguing children; you divide a cake. There is overlap, but divide stresses partition while separate stresses keeping apart.
Is it spelled 'separate' or 'seperate'?
Separate is the correct spelling, with an 'a' in the middle — sep-a-rate. 'Seperate' is one of the most common misspellings in English. A useful memory trick is that there is 'a rat' hidden in sep-a-rat-e. The same middle 'a' appears in the noun separation and the adverb separately.
What is the opposite of separate?
The main opposites are join, combine, unite, connect, and merge. Where separate means to divide or keep apart, these describe bringing things together into one. For people, the opposite of separating is reuniting or reconciling. The right antonym depends on context — you rejoin what was split and reconnect what was disconnected.
What is an example of separating something?
Everyday examples include sorting laundry into whites and colours, splitting a class into small groups, or pulling apart two pieces of stuck paper. In cooking you separate an egg white from the yolk. In relationships, a couple may separate by living apart. Each case shares the core idea of keeping things apart.