divide and conquer

Idioms  

1. Also,. Win by getting one's opponents to fight among themselves. For example, Divide and conquer was once a very successful policy in sub-Saharan Africa. This expression is a translation of the Latin maxim, Divide et impera (“divide and rule”), and began to appear in English about 1600.

---

Example Sentences

Hillah, whose great-grandparents died in Auschwitz, is worried about attempts on and off campus to "divide and conquer" communities.

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2023

You can then tell him you absolutely need both of you to divide and conquer on these tasks moving forward.

From Slate • Oct. 12, 2023

Beginning with the indigenous Tongva-Gabrielino Tribe, on through poor whites, Chinese and Mexican immigrants and Black Angelenos, Hernández shows how those in power sought to divide and conquer the city.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2023

At the end of day, your daughter isn’t responsible for pleasing you or taking care of your mental health, so talk to your partner, and plan how to divide and conquer.

From Washington Post • Oct. 19, 2022

It all fit in nicely with the packers’ goal to divide and conquer.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield