separately
Americanadverb
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in such a way as to be physically detached, disconnected, or disjoined.
The note cards come in a boxed set of six or can be sold separately.
We wrapped each part of the gift separately and put them all in the basket.
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independently or distinctly, rather than as parts or aspects of one idea, event, process, problem, etc..
By the 17th century, “natural philosophy” (today called “natural science”) was beginning to be considered separately from philosophy in general.
Until now, these two communities have been working separately despite their similar interests.
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not at the same time or not in the same place; apart in space or time.
They’ve been married for 10 years but live separately.
The two arrived separately at the Ritz Hotel for the movie star’s 50th birthday party.
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not in a way that is shared; individually.
They should each be paid separately for the work they have done.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of separately
First recorded in 1550–60; separate ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
When things happen separately, they occur on an individual basis. Students who study separately study on their own. If you buy a remote-controlled helicopter and the box says “batteries sold separately,” you’ll be land-bound until you get some AAs. To separate things is to take them apart, like separating two students by making them sit in different parts of the room. Anything that occurs separately also exists on its own. If the President meets with members of Congress separately, he meets with them one at a time. If you don’t like it when your food touches, then you should eat the mashed potatoes and salad separately, not on the same plate.
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.
Amazon and Microsoft separately said last month that they will still launch data centers in Saudi Arabia by the end of the year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
EPA officials said on a call Monday that the change will not include pollutants that directly harm health such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are regulated separately.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
French drone company Harmattan AI separately signed a letter of intent with Iraq's defence ministry concerning autonomous air-defence systems.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
Personalized T cell treatments require cells to be collected and processed separately for individual patients.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026
The FBI arrested the saboteurs separately, so they wouldn't know anyone else had been caught.
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
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.
