verb
sunder
SUHND
verb
1
To split something apart, especially violently or completely.
"The war sundered the two nations for a generation."
"Their friendship was sundered by years of misunderstanding."
How to Use Sunder
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo tear or break something apart, often permanently.
When to use it
A literary or formal word — used in poetry, fiction, and legal/historical writing more than everyday speech.
Common pairings
sunder ties
sundered by war
Word Forms
more sunder comparative, sundered past tense, sunders plural, sunders singular, most sunder superlative
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The war _____ the two nations for a generation.
Etymology
From Old English sundor- ("separate, apart"), from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "isolated" — related to Latin sine ("without").