sever

American  

[sev-er] / ˈsɛv ər /

verb (used with object)

• severs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• severed,
  past participle,  past
• severing
  present participle

1. to separate (a part) from the whole, as by cutting or the like.

2. to divide into parts, especially forcibly; cleave.

3. to break off or dissolve (ties, relations, etc.).

4. Law. to divide into parts; disunite (an estate, titles of a statute, etc.).

5. to distinguish; discriminate between.

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verb (used without object)

• severs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• severed,
  past participle,  past
• severing
  present participle

1. to become separated from each other; become divided into parts.

sever British  

/ ˈsɛvə /

verb

1. to put or be put apart; separate

2. to divide or be divided into parts

3. (tr) to break off or dissolve (a tie, relationship, etc)

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• severing
  present
• severed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• sever
  simple
• severs
  simple
• have severed
  perfect
• has severed
  perfect
• am severing
  progressive
• are severing
  progressive
• is severing
  progressive
• have been severing
  perfect progressive
• has been severing
  perfect progressive

Past

• severed
  simple
• had severed
  perfect
• was severing
  progressive
• were severing
  progressive
• had been severing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sever
  simple
• will have severed
  perfect
• will be severing
  progressive
• will have been severing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of sever

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English severen, from Middle French sev(e)rer; see separate

Explanation

To sever something is to cut it off from the whole. If your girlfriend breaks up with you on your anniversary, you might respond by severing the blossoms off the roses you were planning to give her. (Just an idea.) Sever rhymes with ever, but it looks like the word severe, which means "harsh." The similarity between sever and severe is a good reminder to reserve sever for harsh, unpleasant circumstances. If you’re trimming your fingernails, you might use the word clip, but sever wouldn’t be appropriate. If, however, you somehow cut off your finger while clipping your fingernails, you’re free to use the word sever — or any other word you like — on your way to the hospital.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sever severs severed severing

Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and shut its embassy in Asmara on Thursday, while Eritrea responded that it would "sever all diplomatic ties".

From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026

This can include convincing them to distrust exactly the people — friends, family, financial advisers — who might warn them to sever contact with suspicious actors.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

The U.S. border with Mexico represents a political borderline but it cannot sever many decades of complicated history and culture.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

And as landslides sever access roads and supplies dwindle in several parts of the island, there are growing concerns about how much longer survivors can hold out.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

No one could be so cruel as to sever such a deep bond.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

For LGBTQ+ Christians, it can be a spiritual one, a forced concealment that severs them from authentic relationships with communities they love and were raised in, and with God.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

Flipping the script, Rapp severs ties with a friend when the temptation to stray becomes too strong on the melancholy ballad I Can't Have You Around Me.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2025

“It severs key lines of communication and coordination between vulnerable unaccompanied children and the institutions in place to ensure their protection,” she said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2025

It follows workers at a megacorporation who submit to a procedure that severs their work memories from their personal ones, and it gets wildly weird.

From Slate ● Jan. 16, 2025

In the Greek myth of Prometheus the gift of fire forever severs humankind from the natural world—the burning torch is the icon of the constructed and artificial.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

The Hall of Famer’s ties with Chicago were once again severed, this time with his firing in 1993 following a 5-11 season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

You don’t have to think about it; your subconscious will reconnect those severed wires immediately.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

Mountbatten-Windsor had already been stripped of his titles by King Charles, after emails had shown Mountbatten-Windsor had continued his links with Epstein, beyond when he had publicly said connections had been severed.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Some will be severed; many of the severed will be talented and well-liked.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

It is worth pointing out, furthermore, that his lordship had by that time severed all links with the 'blackshirts', having witnessed the true, ugly nature of that organization.

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro

A shipping disaster in 2021 shows how blocking the strait — and thus severing a link to the Mediterranean Sea — could harm global commerce.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

The country brings in a lot of rice from India through the United Arab Emirates, which last week said it was severing trade ties with Iran.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

That came after the United Arab Emirates said it was severing economic ties with Tehran over attacks on its shipping.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

“If you say that, you risk severing your relationship with your parent.”

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

This was the second severing of mother and daughter.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Related Words

• abandon
• break off
• dissolve
• put an end to
• separate
• terminate