digital divide
Americannoun
noun
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In domestic political terms in the United States, the divide is between educated, well-off members of society and those who are less well-off.
In geopolitical terms, the divide is between the developed and the developing nations, or, roughly speaking, between the North and the South.
Etymology
Origin of digital divide
First recorded in 1990–95
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.
But Zelalem Gizachew, a technology policy analyst, argues that the government's strategy has been chipping away at the digital divide.
From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026
Moreover, many Indian startups are now using AI to tackle real-world challenges for millions still on the wrong side of the digital divide.
From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025
“Is there another way for the city itself to tackle the digital divide with training or an assistance program?”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2025
The consequences of this digital divide are far-reaching.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 17, 2024
This spring, I will invite high-tech leaders to join me on another New Markets tour—to close the digital divide and open opportunity for all our people.
From State of the Union Address by Clinton, William Jefferson
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.