divide
Americanverb (used with object)
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to separate into parts, groups, sections, etc.
- Antonyms:
- unite
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to separate or part from something else; sunder; cut off.
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to deal out in parts; distribute in shares; apportion.
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to cleave; part.
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to separate in opinion or feeling; cause to disagree.
The issue divided the senators.
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to distinguish the kinds of; classify.
- Synonyms:
- distribute, arrange, sort
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Mathematics.
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to separate into equal parts by the process of mathematical division; apply the mathematical process of division to.
Eight divided by four is two.
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to be a divisor of, without a remainder.
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to mark a uniform scale on (a ruler, thermometer, etc.).
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British Government. to separate (a legislature, assembly, etc.) into two groups in ascertaining the vote on a question.
verb (used without object)
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to become divided or separated.
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to share something with others.
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to diverge; branch; fork.
The road divides six miles from here.
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to perform the mathematical process of division.
He could add and subtract but hadn't learned to divide.
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British Government. to vote by separating into two groups.
noun
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a division.
a divide in the road.
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Physical Geography. the line or zone of higher ground between two adjacent streams or drainage basins.
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Archaic. the act of dividing.
verb
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to separate or be separated into parts or groups; split up; part
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to share or be shared out in parts; distribute
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to diverge or cause to diverge in opinion or aim
the issue divided the management
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(tr) to keep apart or be a boundary between
the Rio Grande divides Mexico from the United States
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(intr) (in Parliament and similar legislatures) to vote by separating into two groups
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to categorize; classify
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to calculate the quotient of (one number or quantity) and (another number or quantity) by division
to divide 50 by 10
to divide 10 into 50
to divide by 10
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(intr) to diverge
the roads divide
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(tr) to mark increments of (length, angle, etc) as by use of an engraving machine
noun
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an area of relatively high ground separating drainage basins; watershed See also continental divide
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a division; split
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To subject (a number) to the process of division.
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To be a divisor of.
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To use (a number) as a divisor.
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To perform the operation of division.
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To undergo cell division.
Synonym Usage
See separate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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undividingadjective
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predivideverb (used with object)
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misdivideverb
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redivideverb
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dividableadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have dividedperfect
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has dividedperfect 3rd person singular
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are dividingprogressive
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am dividingprogressive 1st person singular
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has been dividingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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dividessingular 3rd person
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have been dividingperfect progressive
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is dividingprogressive 3rd person singular
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dividingparticiple
Past
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had dividedperfect
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were dividingprogressive plural
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had been dividingperfect progressive
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dividedsimple
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was dividingprogressive singular
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dividedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of divide
First recorded 1325–75; Middle English (from Anglo-French divider ), from Latin dīvidere “to separate, divide”
Explanation
When you divide something, you separate it into different parts. A pizza maker may divide a ball of dough into two parts to make two pies, or you might even divide a stick of gum in half to share it with a friend. The verb divide can refer to the splitting apart of anything, whether it’s pizza dough, gum, time, a country, or a political group. Math types probably already know that the word also can refer to a mathematical function involving figuring out how many times a certain number contains another number. As a noun, divide means a hostile split between two groups, such as a growing divide between conservative and liberal groups.
Vocabulary lists containing divide
Physical Geography - Middle School
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Physical Geography - High School
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Last session, he introduced House Bill 1488, which created a little divide there,” Barta said.
From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026
The three operators behind it -- Bouygues Telecom, Free and Orange -- plan to break up SFR and divide its assets between them.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
Worried they would divide votes that would cost North America the tournament, officials in the three countries began negotiations over sharing the event.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
"We should stop trying to look for different ways to divide people and look for ways to bring people together," she said.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
I draw three boxes, and divide those into smaller boxes, until I have a makeshift three-month calendar.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
