asunder

American  

[uh-suhn-der] / əˈsʌn dər /

adverb

1. into separate parts; in or into pieces.

   Lightning split the old oak tree asunder.

2. apart or widely separated.

   as wide asunder as the polar regions.

---

asunder British  

/ əˈsʌndə /

adverb

1. (postpositive) in or into parts or pieces; apart

   to tear asunder

---

Etymology

Origin of asunder

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English on sundrum “apart”; a- ¹, sundry

Explanation

Asunder is an adverb that means “into separate pieces.” So if you’ve torn your ex's love letter asunder, you’ve forcefully ripped it into separate pieces — and rightly so. Asunder comes from the Old English phrase on sundran, which means "into separate places." It is a somewhat archaic and uncommon word and many people know it only from religious marriage ceremonies: "What God has joined together let no man put asunder." In most cases, you can use its more common synonym "apart" and convey the same meaning, unless you want to express a particularly violent or forceful ripping.

Example Sentences

Born in Toronto in 1950, Candy had his world torn asunder at age 4 when his father died.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

The worriers fret that in so doing, we further rip the country asunder because, uh, what if it doesn’t work out the way the purists had hoped?

From Slate • Jan. 19, 2024

“The psychological, intellectual, and cultural fabric necessary for a thriving academic community has been torn asunder, and it will take years, if not generations, to mend.”

From Science Magazine • Oct. 19, 2023

But now — here’s that phrase that signals a change in fortunes — but now, what man hath joined by steel I-beams, climate change may put asunder.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2023

Part of the distance they rode in the car, and after disembarking, passed the Pontellier mansion, which looked broken and half tom asunder.

From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin