divorce
dih-VAWS
Divorce (noun) means the legal ending of a marriage. Example: “Their divorce was finalised after months of negotiation.”
noun
1
The legal ending of a marriage.
"Their divorce was finalised after months of negotiation."
"The divorce was painful, but both parents stayed close to their children."
"She hired a lawyer to handle the divorce and the sale of the house."
verb
1
To legally end one's marriage.
"She divorced her husband after fifteen years together."
"They decided to divorce amicably and share the care of their children."
"He divorced twice before finally settling down in a quiet village."
2
To separate two things that were previously connected.
"It's hard to divorce the artist's work from his personal life."
"You cannot divorce a country's economy from the health of its people."
"Try to divorce your feelings from the facts when you judge the evidence."
How to use divorce
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEnding a marriage legally, or more broadly, separating two things that used to go together.
Common pairings
file for divorce
get a divorce
divorce proceedings
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Word forms
- Plural
- divorces
- Third person singular
- divorces
- Past tense
- divorced
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Their _____ was finalised after months of negotiation.
Etymology
From Old French divorce, from Latin dīvortium, from dīvertere, "to turn aside" — related to divert and verse.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for divorce
See all rhymes for divorce →Frequently asked questions
What does “divorce” mean?
The word “divorce” means the legal ending of a marriage. In plain terms, ending a marriage legally, or more broadly, separating two things that used to go together.
How do you pronounce “divorce”?
“Divorce” is pronounced dih-VAWS (/dɪˈvoɹs/ in IPA).
How do you use “divorce” in a sentence?
Here is “divorce” used in a sentence: “Their divorce was finalised after months of negotiation.”
What is the opposite of “divorce”?
The opposite of “divorce” — its antonyms — are marriage and marry.
What part of speech is “divorce”?
Depending on how it is used, “divorce” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “divorce” come from?
The word “divorce” comes from Latin. From Old French divorce, from Latin dīvortium, from dīvertere, "to turn aside" — related to divert and verse.
Is “divorce” a common word?
“Divorce” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “divorce” have?
“Divorce” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the legal ending of a marriage.
What is the difference between divorce and separation?
A divorce legally ends a marriage, leaving both people free to remarry. A separation means the couple live apart, and even a formal legal separation leaves the marriage legally intact.
What is the difference between divorce and annulment?
A divorce ends a valid marriage, while an annulment declares that the marriage was never legally valid in the first place. After a divorce, the marriage existed and then ended; after an annulment, it is treated as if it never legally happened.
Is it "divorced from" or "divorced with"?
The correct preposition is "from": you get divorced from someone, as in "she is divorced from her first husband." As a verb, "divorce" also takes a direct object with no preposition, as in "he divorced her." "Divorced with" is not standard.
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