asunder

[uh-suhn-der]

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

/ əˈsʌndə /

adverb

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

   to tear asunder

Word History and Origins

Origin of asunder¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of asunder¹

Old English on sundran apart; see _sunder

Example Sentences

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

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When the book begins, these plans have been torn asunder: Marc, as it transpires, has been killed in a rebel attack on a refugee camp in Libya.

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Why would they surrender such a deep and meaningful relationship for some short-term tactical gain, or allow a disagreement over personalities or policy to set things asunder?

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In this perilous alliance, the very foundations of democracy are being torn asunder, and with them, any hope for a future brave enough to confront the truth.

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However, some here argue that outrage about the film may reflect a collective sense of denial about how much violence has ripped asunder the fabric of Mexican society.

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