apart

[ uh-pahrt ]
See synonyms for apart on Thesaurus.com
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.

  1. 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.

  2. separately or individually in consideration: each factor viewed apart from the others.

  3. aside (used with a gerund or noun): Joking apart, what do you think?

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

Verb Phrases
  1. take apart,

    • to disassemble: to take a clock apart.

    • Informal. to criticize; attack: She was taken apart for her controversial stand.

    • to subject to intense examination: He will take your feeble excuses apart.

Idioms about apart

  1. apart from, aside from; in addition to: Apart from other considerations, time is a factor.

Origin of apart

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French a part “to one side”; see a-5, part

Other words from apart

  • a·part·ness, noun

Words Nearby apart

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use apart in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for apart

apart

/ (əˈpɑːt) /


adjective, adverb(postpositive)
  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)

  1. separate in time, place, or position; at a distance: he stood apart from the group; two points three feet apart

  2. not being taken into account; aside: these difficulties apart, the project ran smoothly

  3. individual; distinct; separate: a race apart

  4. separately or independently in use, thought, or function: considered apart, his reasoning was faulty

  5. apart from (preposition) besides; other than

Origin of apart

1
C14: from Old French a part at (the) side

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with apart

apart

In addition to the idiom beginning with apart

  • apart from

also see:

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

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.