apart

American  

[uh-pahrt] / əˈpɑrt /

adverb

1. into pieces or parts; to pieces.

   to take a watch apart; an old barn falling apart from decay.

2. separately in place, time, motion, etc..

   New York and Tokyo are thousands of miles apart. Our birthdays are three days apart.

3. to or at one side, with respect to place, purpose, or function.

   to put money apart for education; to keep apart from the group out of pride.

4. separately or individually in consideration.

   each factor viewed apart from the others.

5. aside (used with a gerund or noun).

   Joking apart, what do you think?

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adjective

1. having independent or unique qualities, features, or characteristics; separate (usually used following the noun it modifies).

   a class apart.

verb phrase

1. take apart

   1. to disassemble.

      to take a clock apart.

   2. Informal. to criticize; attack.

      She was taken apart for her controversial stand.

   3. to subject to intense examination.

      He will take your feeble excuses apart.

idioms

1. apart from, aside from; in addition to.

   Apart from other considerations, time is a factor.

apart British  

/ əˈpɑːt /

adjective

1. to pieces or in pieces

   he had the television apart on the floor

2. placed or kept separately or to one side for a particular purpose, reason, etc; aside (esp in the phrases set or put apart )

3. separate in time, place, or position; at a distance

   he stood apart from the group

   two points three feet apart

4. not being taken into account; aside

   these difficulties apart, the project ran smoothly

5. individual; distinct; separate

   a race apart

6. separately or independently in use, thought, or function

   considered apart, his reasoning was faulty

7. (preposition) besides; other than

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apart More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing apart

• come apart
• fall apart
• pick apart
• poles apart
• set apart
• take apart
• tear apart
• tell apart

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Other Word Forms

• apartness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of apart

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French a part “to one side”; see a- ⁵, part

Explanation

When things are apart, they are separated, often because they're far away from each other. If you are in Hawaii for the summer and your best friend is in Maine, you are apart. You can say that San Diego and San Francisco are about 500 miles apart, or that you hate spending time apart from your cat when you travel. Sometimes people are figuratively apart, when they've ended their relationship. You can also use apart to mean "in pieces," as when a firecracker blows apart an apple. The word comes from the Old French à part, "to the side," from the Latin roots ad "to," and partem, "a side."

Example Sentences

Apart from Globe, which has a 34% stake in GCash, other backers include Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and private-equity firm Warburg Pincus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

Apart from her, only a small circle knows where he will be even two hours ahead.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Apart from a handful of local journalists, almost no-one was outside.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Apart from that inspiring story, what can we hope for at the multiplex?

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

Apart from their helmets sad encumbrances and the difficulty of breathing, they had to be dressed in their suits by kind and careful aasatapls.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White